The Burning Questionnaire: Tara Benwell

Take a peek at Tara…. Captions, please.

Way way back in 2011 – remember those days? Before whatsapp and instagram? – the third guest poster to contribute to the eltpics ideas blog Take a photo and… was Canadian teacher, writer and generally nice person, Tara Benwell, who provided the eltpics blogmeisterperson with the opportunity to post a photo of a frog on a toilet seat 🙂 This was a first for me. In return for this favour 😉 I sent her the Burning Questionnaire and asked her to choose a handful of eltpics that say something about her. Here are her replies – and feel free to add captions to the photos she chose (and just for the record, she choose more than four, so there’s a bonus eltpics at the end of the interview) ….

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

What is your full name, and where did it all start?
My full name is Tara Lynn Benwell.  I always dreamed of having an extravagant middle name like “Clarissa” because it seemed most of my girlfriends had the middle name Ann or Lynn. Since that wasn’t possible, I gave my own kids fun middle names: Beckett and Sawyer. After all, they are stuck with their dad’s last name (Peacock)! Poor things. As a kid, I had the nickname “Tink” because I did a speech on my budgie “Tinkerbell”.  My online English learners recently organized a video challenge called “The Story of My Name”. My own dad shared the story of Tara Kirkpatrick, a girl from grade school who my parents both knew in Vancouver, BC (my hometown).  I love bringing real life stories into my teaching. It helps the language stick!

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?
I enjoy Brit Pop (like “James”) for dancing and driving, Alternative Rock (like “The Airborne Toxic Event”) for concerts and hanging out, and Salsa (Polo Montana) for exercising and cleaning.

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

Image by @mrsdkrebs for #eltpics

The most satisfying aspect of my job is using my creative juices to inspire and motivate English learners on the other side of the world (often while in the comfort of my pyjamas). I’m never bored because I’m always working on a million different projects at a time. The most frustrating part is not having enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Writing or teaching? Why?
Writing as teaching. The aspect of teaching that I was always drawn to when working in a traditional classroom was writing. I organized the school newspapers, initiated and designed a writing course, and picked up extra writing work as a materials writer. Blogging with English learners and teachers, and developing fun materials that you may not find in textbooks is how I combine these two passions these days.   

A teacher from your schooldays:
Mrs. G, my grade 3 teacher in Montreal, Canada. Grade 3 was my favourite year of all time, and it was my last grade in Montreal before my family moved to Ontario. In the acknowledgments of my novel I thanked Mrs. G for inspiring me to become a writer. I still have the journal that I wrote in her class that year – a “cahier” that was covered in silver wedding wrapping paper. Mrs. G was able to see beyond my horrible handwriting and spelling, and somehow seemed to know that I would one day turn my love of writing into a career. Her comments meant everything to me. I keep that in mind when working with my online learners.

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

Image by @sandymillin at #eltpics

I worked as a waitress/bartender for years while I was in high school and university, and I learned quickly that teaching was going to be a huge pay cut. This was frustrating at first, but I soon discovered material writing, tutoring, and semi-private night classes. The TEFL industry helped me discover my talents and interests. Eventually, I was able to do away with the aspects of my job that I didn’t enjoy.

What motivates/inspires you most?
Reading a good book at the right time is the most inspiring thing. I truly believe that certain books come into our lives at the right time if we let them. Sometimes it’s fiction. Other times it’s a writing book, an autobiography, or a children’s picture book (most recently, Barbara Reid’s “Picture a Tree”).   

Do you ever cry in the cinema?
If we ever have a babysitter, we go to the pub.

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or langoustine salad, steak au poivre and a 1995 Rioja? Where?
More like PB* on a bagel with an Americano, or Guinness and a basket of honey garlic wings.

A dream?
To get my novel, “The Proper Order of Things” into the hands of at least one

Image by @mrsdkrebs at #eltpics

reader in every country of the world. The Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics inspired me.  There were some countries I hadn’t even heard of! If you know someone living in or traveling to an obscure country, please get in touch to arrange a book giveaway in exchange for a photo op.

Favourite book?
These days, my answer is The Night Circus. I was tweeting with Erin Morgenstern while I read it.  My book club (13 crazy women who were up to absolutely no good last night following a meeting about “The Necklace”) will be reading it soon (my selection).  

Beach, mountains or city?
I used to think mountains, but now that I’ve moved away from BC, I know that it’s the water I miss the most. I’m a jogger, and I hate feeling landlocked. It’s wonderful to be living close to family in Ontario, but my true home is on the Pacific near the giant trees.

Image by @sandymillin at #eltpics

Tablet or pen & notebook?
Pen and notebook at all times. I bring a notebook with me everywhere I go, and I’m always hunting for a new one that meets my strict requirements. The cover on my current notebook says “This could have been a novel.”  I do love my tablet, though!  My first iPad series (a children’s storybook series) is in it’s last stage of production. It has been amazing to see all of the different talents (writing, drawing, voice acting, programming) come together. I do believe tablets will take over the world. They are already beginning to take over my house.

Day or night?

 

Image by @mamalarut at #eltpics  – bonus image 😉

Night. After 11 o’clock, when everyone else is snoring. I can finally turn the TV off and hear my own thoughts. There’s always at least one book in my lap.

The Burning Questionnaire: Shelly Sánchez Terrell

There’s something about Shelly….

And about time too…..Apologies for the loooong break; life got in the life, as is its wont. But to make up for the hiatus, I’ll be bringing you interviews with several willing victims over the next few weeks – I do hope you enjoy the insights into their lives. We are ‘only teachers’, not Hollywood pillars making seemingly controversial (though who knows why) statements about their lives, private and/or public, we’re not world famous sportspeople ‘coming clean’, we are teachers. Ordinary folk. But personally I don’t think that makes any one of us any less special or interesting, a less seductive casket of memories and anecdotes, than the Golden Globe and Tour de France winners of this world, and sometimes it’s warming, amusing even, to find how alike yet different we all are. There’s safety in numbers and sparkle in being unique.

I waffle. It’s Friday. And Shelly is far, far more special than me and my blah. Back in October, we celebrated eltpics second birthday with a guest post by Shelly Terrell, and lo and behold, we were lucky enough to have our best day to date, hits-wise, on our main blog, Take a photo and… Would you like to find out a little bit about what makes Ms Terrell tick? Here she is, eELT’s Number One lady (OK, maybe she shares her crown…. but then, she’s like that 😉 ), Shelly S Terrell.

*************************************************************************************************

What is your full name, and where did it all start?
Shelly Sanchez Terrell, but originally Shelly Mendez Sanchez. I was born in San Antonio, Texas and I am of Mexican and Native American descent. You can read about my personal struggles with learning English in a post I wrote for Ken Wilson, Children of Immigrants.

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?
I enjoy all types of music and especially love listening to records on my record player. I like artists like Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Maria Callas, James Brown, Jeff Buckley, Parliament, and the Dave Matthews Band. I have a lot of music listed on Spotify, GrooveShark, and Youtube.

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?
The most satisfying aspect of my job is I get to pursue my passion and meet teachers, students, and parents worldwide who are impacted by it and share their incredible journeys with me.

Writing or teaching? Why?
Teaching. I’m terrible at meeting writing deadlines as my publisher will currently tell you. I really enjoy getting learners of all ages excited about learning and exploring their curiosities, especially with technology and mobile devices. You will often see me with a child or adult playing with an app!

A teacher from your schooldays:
Mina Stecklein was my Speech and Debate coach and she kept believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. She taught me how to speak publicly and used very avant-garde methods. I used to squeak, spit, and be very shy and awkward at speaking. Now, I speak in front of audiences weekly and help spread great messages about learning.

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?
The first thing I learned was that you have to make connections with the learners. If they don’t like you well then you won’t be a very effective teacher and you will have a horrible year.

What motivates/inspires you most?
When I see people at any age excited and moved by their learning.

Do you ever cry in the cinema?
I try not to, but I have to admit that I wept throughout most of Brave Heart, Last of the Mohicans, and Life is Beautiful.

Image by Sandy Millin at #eltpics

A favourite meal? Where?
How about lahanodolmades, a rioja, and anywhere near the ocean and great music.

A dream?
To live on a beautiful sunny beach with Rosco, my pug.

Dream car?   Well, my dream vehicle is a teleportation device so that Rosco and I can just go anywhere in seconds.

Beach, mountains or city?   The beach because water calms me and I love watching sunrises or sunsets at the beach.

A sport?   I enjoy soccer/football because there’s constant action and I love when the players make really cool goals. I also think the World Cup is an incredible event that brings the world and people together.

Image by Diarmuid Fogarty at #eltpics

The Burning Questionnaire: Sue Lyon-Jones

Image credits below.

In July 2012, the month London got into full sporting swing on an international scale as Olympic host, our guest poster was lovely lady from Liverpool and songstress divine. Sue Lyon-Jones. You already know where she’s from, what she looks like, you may have even heard her singing but did you know……………..

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

My full name is Susan Lyon-Jones, although most people call me Sue. My mother decided to call me Susan because she liked the name and thought it was unusual. No doubt the mothers of the six other girls in my class called Susan probably thought the same 😉 The -Jones bit is borrowed from my husband, and got tacked on later.

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

I tend to listen to whatever friends are sharing on Facebook these days more often than not, though if I’m choosing my own music it’s generally laid back jazz, R&B, mellow soul, that kind of thing.

Image from eltpics by Phil Bird (@pysproblem81)

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

I enjoy most things to do with teaching and writing, and I count myself incredibly lucky to be in a position where I get to spend my days doing something that I love. The most frustrating thing without a doubt is the bureaucratic nonsense that seems to go hand in hand with the job these days, which has little if anything to do with teaching or learning, and frequently gets in the way of both!

Writing or teaching? Why?

Both really, although I’m going through a writing phase at the moment.

A teacher from your schooldays

Image from eltpics by @MrChrisJWilson

Herr Grace, my German teacher, or “Hairy Grace”, as we used to call him. He was good fun, and his lessons were always interesting, if you discount the bit where we were shunted off to language labs and made to sit there with headphones on for twenty minutes or so, repeating random phrases…

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

I can’t remember if it was the first thing, but “expect the unexpected” springs to mind. It didn’t take long for the penny to drop that lessons in the real world rarely match the plan 😉

What motivates/inspires you most?

Sharing, collaborating, connecting with inspirational teachers, attending conferences and webinars, and #eltchat, which is great for sparking the creative juices!

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

All the time, and at the drop of a hat. I’m a sucker for a soppy film 🙂

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or langoustine salad, steak au poivre and a 1995 Rioja?

Image from eltpics by Ian James (@ij64)

 

I don’t eat meat so it would have to be beans on toast, although I’d swap the cup of tea for something a more alcoholic, if given the choice.

A dream?

To spend the winter months living somewhere warmer, with more sunshine and less rain!

Favourite book?

Difficult to say, as there are a fair few books on my favourites list, although To Kill a Mockingbird probably has the edge. It made a big impression on me when I read it in my teens.

Favourite film?

Once again, hard to say, as I’m a serious film buff and there are so many to choose from, but I’m going to opt for The Matrix, as it appeals to my inner geek!

Favourite poet?

Image from eltpics by Sandy Millin (@sandymillin)

I’m not sure I have a favourite poet (did I mention that I’m indecisive?) though if I had to pick a favourite poem it would be Warning, by Jenny Joseph. It’s a very funny poem about growing old disgracefully. In later life, I plan to use it as a blueprint 😉

“Image used in this blog are all photos taken from http://flickr.com/eltpics, here by @ij64, @MrChrisJWilson, @pysproblem81 and @sandymillin under a CC Attribution Non-Commercial licence, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/”

The Burning Questionnaire: Ian James

Orrai?        (Image credits below)

Ian James was the second guest poster and second WELSH guest poster to contribute to the eltpics blog Take a photo and…. A rather wonderful photographer (and a very nice man), we were keen to invite Ian early on to share his great ‘techy’ ideas using images from eltpics coupled with webtools ranging from Googlemaps to Wordle. His post, Landscape Stories, was even better than we’d hoped for. But what is Ian actually like?…… Up periscope… :

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

Ian David James. Somewhere between Bridgend and Porthcawl I think, but you’d better ask my mum and dad about that – there were no other witnesses. I was born and brought up in Cardiff, about 20 miles down the road.

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

New Order and the Electric Light Orchestra while driving, Sufjan Stevens while navel-gazing and Ron Sexsmith (the songwriter’s songwriter and popular music’s anti-hero par excellence) while doing most other activities. To add a little local flavour – I live in Barcelona – I’d also recommend a young Catalan group called Manel.

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

Satisfying: when a student thanks me at the end of a course – we all like to be validated now and again.

Frustrating: maybe not having enough time to pursue my interest in educational technologies. I teach at a public university where I give rather a lot of classes to rather large groups of students, who give me rather large amounts of work, which takes me rather a long time to correct. I would dearly love to be able to integrate more technology into my teaching, but this would entail not having a life.

Writing or teaching? Why?

Image by Diarmuid Fogarty for eltpics

 

After more than 20 years at the coalface I think I’d probably like to do a little less classroom teaching and a little more writing. Writing would be designing materials and developing resources – I think this is where I could be of most use. As regards more theoretical scribblings, I’m not sure I have a great deal to say, or indeed, whether there is a great deal left to be said. Of course, in the future, my paradigm may shift. Who knows?

A teacher from your schooldays:
Evan Davies, a history teacher at Cardiff High School who first introduced me to the pleasures of listening to a good lecture – and “Doc. Davies” certainly did give a great lecture: clear and engaging, they were a distilled synthesis of his vast knowledge of the past – well, it seemed pretty vast at the time – and he even let us ask questions at the end. Yes, I know, I know! According to current thinking, schools were like factories then; we sat on wooden pews and were taught useless facts (as opposed to higher-order thinking skills) which were transmitted into our heads and then instantly forgotten … etc … etc … Well, I actually quite liked school. Of course, not all my teachers were like “Doc. Davies”, but I rarely felt disengaged, nor considered myself a brick in a wall. So, I think I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my school teachers – they’ve come in for rather a lot of stick lately.

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

That I enjoyed it! Learning to teach is a bit like learning to ski: you have to spend the first couple of days falling on your *rse before you have a clear idea of whether you enjoy it or not. After my first few days of teaching (IH Barcelona, circa 1990) I came to the conclusion that I was indeed having fun – whether or not my students were is, of course, debatable.

 

Image by @elt_pics at eltpics

What motivates/inspires you most?

Inspires: I’m a bit wary of the word “inspire”. It’s been abused, over-used and generally become rather uninspiring. But if I had to say what inspired me I think it would probably be creativity and originality, which is not a very creative or original answer I admit. I also admire teachers who after 10, 20, 30 years in the profession remain dedicated to their teaching and go about their work quietly and diligently without too much waving around of their arms. Ironically, these are people who don’t normally aspire to inspire.

Motivates: Insatisfaction and the desire to perform better next time.

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

No, I normally watch the film.

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or haute cuisine and a 1995 Rioja? Where?

British cuisine: Toad in the Hole with HP sauce and a can of Brains SA at my mum’s

Image by Victoria Boobyer at eltpics

house in Cardiff | Spanish cuisine: Chipirones con patatas fritas and a bottle of Estrella de Galicia at Bar Kilowatio in Cedeira, Galicia.

A dream?

I’d like to buy and do up the house that I rent in the Pre-Pyrenees (“The Country Retweet”). Then take a year off to grow tomatoes, construct dry-stone walls and pursue other country pursuits.

A fave film?

I made a quick list of films that have made an impact on me but couldn’t decide on a favourite, so here’s all of ‘em: “How Green Was My Valley” by John Ford, “Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday” byJacques Tati, “Man of Marble” by Andrzej Wadja, “Glengarry Glen Ross” by James Foley, “Los Santos Inocentes” by Carlos Saura, “Duel” by Steven Spielberg and “The Railway Children” by … mmm … can’t remember who the director was, but it starred Jenny Agutter!

A fave book?

Don’t really have one. Books I’ve enjoyed over the last year include: “Stoner” by John Williams (Btw, it’s about a university professor, not a pothead), “Alone in Berlin” by Hans Fallada and the immensely-funny “How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World” by Francis Wheen.

Dream car?

Can I have a lorry, please? I used to hitch-hike in them and have always wanted one of my own. Truck-driving would provide me with some of the things I often long for: independence, solitude, time for contemplation, space etc – of course, dreams tend to be ever so gilded, so I’ll stick with my trusty Skoda Fabia for the mo. Thanks anyway!

Down periscope……….

The Burning Questionnaire: Anne Robinson

Examining Anne….. (for image credits, see below)

Anne Robinson is based in Santander, in Northern Spain, and is a highly respected Senior Presenter for Cambridge ESOL, but what else do you know about her? Hm? I love her mosaic above – and how much four photos can give away about a person – but there’s more! When she sent me her post for Take a photo and…, Anne agreed to answer the Burning Questionnaire and, erm ‘bear’ her soul. Read on:

**********************************************************************************************

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

My full name is Anne Robinson. This caused quite a few problems here in Spain as I don’t have a ‘second surname’. This means that my mother’s maiden surname, ‘Beadling’, became part of my name for quite a few years and still appears from time to time on certain official documents! Computer programmes here in Spain weren’t designed for only one surname and rejected you!!!!

Image by @sandymillin at eltpics

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

When I set off to give a seminar (very often eastwards along the northern coast of Spain), I load up with CDs or my ipod. I love all kinds of music, and if I’m in the car alone, I love to turn up the volume and sing!!! I often giggle to think what I must look like! For cooking and housework, I turn on Spotify on my computer and ‘discover’ music. One track needs to another and I have started to build up some very interesting and eclectic collections!!!

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

Which job? I have lots of jobs – training teachers, teaching, writing books, writing the Cambridge ESOL Teaching Together Blog, Speaking Examiner, Young Learners Tests Organiser locally…. I enjoy each and every one of them. Stressful rather than frustrating is when I have to do too many of them at the same time and worry about making deadlines. Extremely satisfying and fulfilling is when a teacher comes up to you at a seminar and thanks you for inspiring them in some way. Or when I bump into a parent of an old student in the street and they tell me how useful English has been in helping their son/daughter secure a job.

Writing or teaching? Why?

Both!

A teacher from your schooldays:

Image by Anne Robinsons at eltpics

Mrs Luscombe. My French teacher in my second year of Secondary School. She inspired me and made me love languages. That inspiration then spread to all the other subjects. I’d love to bump into her one day and tell her!

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

That I knew very little about my mother tongue!!! One thing I remember being told on my 4 week course in Norwich was that if you don’t know the answer to a student’s question, then don’t make up the answer! Take note, find out and give them an answer in the next lesson. Still apply this today when someone asks me a question in a seminar!!!

What motivates/inspires you most?

Meeting old students who are now English teachers themselves!!!! Sharing ideas with other teachers. These days, discovering and following blogs (like eltpics!).

Image by @aClilToClimb (Chiew Pang) at eltpics

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

Yes! Lots! And I’m not a bit ashamed to admit it! And I cry when films are sad and when they’re happy!!!

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or langoustine salad, steak au poivre and a 1995 Rioja? Where?

Definitely not beans on toast thank you! Never liked baked beans. A good wine, and a salad and definitely some different cheeses sounds so much more attractive. Incredible to think that I didn’t like cheese when I was little.

A dream?

To visit Australia and New Zealand – traveling First Class on the plane there and back please!

Beach, mountains or city?

Image by @asalinguist at eltpics

Definitely the beach. There’s something about the sea that fascinates me – even when it’s dark and stormy. Apart from four years in Madrid, I’ve always lived near the sea and I miss it tremendously when I can’t see it. I would certainly recommend a visit to Santander if you’ve never been here! Beaches, beaches, beaches!!!!

Tablet or pen & notebook?

Pens.s.s.s.s.s. …(different colours) and notebook. I always carry a small one in my handbag. You never know when inspiration will come! My friends and daughters often give me new ones as gifts. I could spend hours in a good stationers!

A sport?

Padel. A sport not widely known outside Spain or Argentina. Similar to tennis, with a little bit of squash thrown in. I play nearly every day if I can and am in a team at my local sports club. We play in the league. In fact my next (friendly) game starts in 58 minutes!) You need 4 players and you have to be very alert! But many of the games I play are also very relaxed, friendly and social and less alert! Lots of laughs and fun!

The Burning Questionnaire: Vicky Loras

There’s something about Vicky…… (for credits see below)

Vicky Loras was the photographer behind the 7,000th image uploaded to eltpics and was invited to write a post for Take a photo and… on how she might use it. But Vicky is much more than that – she is also a teacher, a blogger and one of the three founders of eltpics, along with Carol Goodey and Victoria Boobyer. So what do you know about Vicky? She’s Canadian, she lives in Switzerland, she has dark hair………. keep reading for more, and check out the four images she choose to say something about herself, to tell you her story.

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

My full name (as it is on my Canadian passport) is Vassiliki Vicky Loras – it all started from my wonderful Greek yaya (grandmother), also with the same name. I have four more cousins with the same name! If you are of Greek origin, you usually get one of your grandparents’ names. “Vassiliki” means “royal” in Greek : ) My parents shortened it because in Canada nobody would be able to pronounce Vassiliki. (I can’t say I like it that much – sorry yaya!)

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

My favourite kind of music is Motown and jazz when I am working on the computer at home, but I also love Coldplay and the British scene for other moments.

Image by @Harmerj for eltpics

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

The most satisfying moment is when I go home at night feeling like I had a lot of fun, despite the long teaching hours. I also feel very happy when my students show progress, or tell me they liked something in the lesson and would like to do it again – or when they tell me they used English at work or holidays and felt comfortable!

Writing or teaching? Why?

Both – teaching as something that is my life, my oxygen and the reason I wake up happy on Monday mornings! Writing as something I do on the side, be it blogging or materials for my students, or articles for journals. I also love writing poetry (even though I have not done it for quite a while).

A teacher from your schooldays:

I have two – Mrs. Ebbs who was my first grade teacher in Canada, shared her love of books with us and introduced me to E.B. White. I am currently trying to track her down and I hope I can find her, to tell her she is one of the reasons I love teaching and if I am anything today, she has played a great part in it. The other teacher I love and still keep in touch with is my teacher I had when we moved to Greece, Mr. Kontos. I love him because he also showed us values and how to be great people, not only reading, writing and arithmetic. I owe him a great deal!

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

That it is okay not to follow the pages of the coursebook in order! That a great lesson an be taking something from the coursebook and weaving it into other things! And that classes may not turn out so good sometimes, but we can learn from our mistakes.

What motivates/inspires you most?

Lots of people/things.

Image by @mk_elt for eltpics

My family first of all who have always believed in me (even during a really tough time when I fell flat on my face and thought I could never get back up again). My niece and nephew who are growing in front of my eyes and help me see the world from a different angle. My students, who are amazing people and give me ideas for our lessons! I love every single one of them.

Books: especially the ones which have to do with education and teaching. If I really like them, they give me an extra boost and ideas to use in class. Blogs: I absolutely love all the beautiful things being written every day and wish I had more time to read and comment on them. Twitter: Educators with super ideas, sharing their experiences in class daily – I love this world I entered three years ago : ) Music can also inspire me!

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

Ashamed to admit it, but yes! Films like The Freedom Writers (I love movies about teaching and education), The Green Mile (oh dear, did I ever cry in that one!), Philadelphia, the list just goes on and on ; )

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or langoustine salad, steak au poivre and a 1995 Rioja?

Image by @aClilToClimb for eltpics

Beans on toast and a cuppa (I love tea!) in England (where I have never been and would love to go!). Can I also have the salad and steak, but with a Coke, because I usually don’t drink? ; ) I would love to have the steak and salad at Whistler’s, my cousins’ restaurant in Toronto!

A dream?

My dream is to do a Master’s in Linguistics and then a PhD!

Favourite book?

My favourite book is Istanbul by Orhan Pamuk. He describes the city in history, art, photography, his own experiences and has made me love that city without ever having been there. I hope to visit one day!

Favourite film?

My absolute favourite film of all time is Amelie (Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain) – I honestly do not know how many times I have seen it and every time I discover something new. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is an amazing director and I love Audrey Tautou’s acting (okay, and Matthieu Kassovitz, I admit it!).

Favourite poet?

Image by fellow Canadian, Matt Ledding for eltpics

My favourite poet is Robert Frost. I love Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. (I also have two favourite Greek poets, Costas Kariotakis and Yiannis Ritsos. A lot of their poems have also been translated in to English, among other languages.)

Thank you so much for all these interesting questions! I really enjoyed answering them.

The Burning Questionnaire: Ceri Jones

Images by @AliCe_M, Chiew Pang, Paco Gascón and Victoria Boobyer.

Ceri was first guest blogger on the eltpics blog Take a photo and… , with a wonderful post called An open door…? As well as sending her The Burning Questionnaire, I have also asked her to choose four eltpics taken by others that she feels say something about her – I leave it to you to ‘read’ her choice of images, as well as her answers. Enjoy…

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

My full name is Ceri Rhiannon Jones. The Ceri confuses a lot of people, they either don’t know how to pronounce it or can’t work out if I’m a man or a woman. Fair enough really, Ceri works both ways. In my Welsh medium secondary school in Aberystwyth there were three of Ceri Joneses in the same class – two girls and a boy. The teachers called me Ceri Rhiannon so they could tell the difference. I hated Rhiannon for years, but now it comes in very handy for twitter handles, gmail addresses and the like. Mind you does bring us back full circle to that pronunciation/spelling problem again …

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

I actually prefer listening to voices … on the radio, on the internet (am addicted to TED talks) … and in my head 

Image by Paco Gascón for eltpics

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

Mm .. which job? Teaching, I think the most satisfying is establishing positive learning relationships person to person. And the most frustrating is limitations set by outside authorities. Writing, I love finishing something, or being in full flow when inspiration strikes (though we are talking materials writing here – wish it were novels or short stories! Guess blog writing is closer to free personal expression), I also love working with other people, bouncing ideas around, developing ideas and material together. Again the frustrations are the limitations – the taboos, the ever growing PARSNIPS 

Writing or teaching? Why?

Both –they complement each other. I love writing – but I also love contact and communication and learning. I used to think it had to be face to face. Twitter and blogging and online courses and tutoring have changed all that – but embarking on a learning project with other people is always great. Mmm… another full circle, ‘cos writing projects, at least in ELT materials, are always a joint effort and a learning experience as well as a job of work.

A teacher from your schooldays:

Aagh … mind goes blank! I hate having to choose just one 😉 there are a couple who come to mind – our physics teacher in fifth form, he wore jackets with corduroy elbow pads, was totally, totally into the knowledge he was conveying. I loved the laws of physics. So clear, so simple – but I could never get my circuits to work – gave it up half way through the lower sixth! Our English lit teacher in the sixth form.

Image by Victoria Boobyer for eltpics

He used to lecture at Cambridge. He decided to move to Wales, go back to the roots of teaching, learn Welsh, learn to teach in Welsh. He was totally passionate as well. I remember he taught us about the six basic stories that run through all literature. Drew this amazing illustration on the board, made perfect sense at the time. Five minutes after the lesson had finished just looked like a load of scribbles 

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

How to ask shopkeepers in very formal Italian if we could put posters of the school up in their windows – stood me in good stead for learning the basics of polite register in Italian from day one.

What motivates/inspires you most?

Other people’s energy. A good idea. A great story. A beautiful sight.

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

Yes, and on the sofa, and in front of the computer … news stories or images are the worst … and some very powerful TED talks have even made me cry on the street behind my sunglasses as I listen to them on my ipod. It’s good to cry sometimes.

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or haute cuisine and a 1995 Rioja? Where?

Image by @aClilToClimb / Chiew Pang for eltpics

Probably the former – anywhere peaceful and quiet and relaxing – preferably on holiday, preferably on a veranda – could be in the countryside, with trees all around, but best of all looking out over a moody beach – and in company or close friends and/or family.

A dream?

Buy a camper van. Be able to keep a dog (we live in a flat in a not very dog-friendly town).

Dream car?

Old VW camper van with all the hippy trimmings – if not then I’d be quite happy with the modern California TDi with all mod cons 😉

Beach, mountains or city? 

Image by @AliCe_M for eltpics

Beach always comes first – and needs to face west. The beach just isn’t the same without a sunset.

Day or night?

Night – I’ve always hated getting up in the morning. I love working at night. I love the sounds – or absence of sounds – deep in the night.

The First Batch of Burning Questions: Jeremy Harmer

                                      A close look at Jeremy Harmer…

For many of us in the English Language Teaching sector, the first name ‘ELT name’ we ever encountered (ok, after our initial teacher trainer had introduced themself….. or maybe not…did you have a reading list?) was Jeremy Harmer, so it seems appropriate that his should be the first name in this blog.

Jeremy recently contributed a post to Take a photo and… , and was kind enough to be the first recipient of The Burning Questionnaire.

Before I open those windows onto Jeremy’s secrets, as Take a photo and.. is actually 6 months old (nearly to the day), there will be some back-dated Burning Questionnaires from earlier guest bloggers… so watch this space.

Image by Antonia Clare at eltpics                          The sea is so scary and beautiful and vast and immense. we can kind ourselves, up there in our aeroplanes, that it’s not much, but it can charm and kill, refresh and flood. But at night, lying in the comfortable dark, hearing the breakers pound into the beach and knowing we are safe. Is there any better feeling?

Jeremy Harmer

What is your full name, and where did it all start?

Jeremy Peter Hedley Harmer if you want to know!

What music do you listen to while driving/cooking/contemplating your navel?

 

I listen to BBC Radio 3 while working. Classical music. I listen to Radio 4 (talk radio – ideas, drama, news, humour, science etc) while cooking or drinking breakfast coffee. Any kind of music (a lot of folk, jazz etc) while hanging around. Latin American music. Mexican music anywhere – from mariachi to música folklórica. Anything in clubs and concert halls. Just watching people make music. Music is everything. Without it there is nothing.

Image by Sandy Millin at eltpics. The moment, the best moment….anticipation before the music starts. The incredible sound of a western classical orchestra when the music and the playing are good! The last 3 concerts I have been too broke my heart. Or it might be a stage I am about to go onto to join the viola section (I know where I’ll be sitting) in some amateur orchestra or other….nerves…

 

What’s the most satisfying – or frustrating – aspect of your job?

Satisfying: when you suddenly realise a way of ‘saying’ something (I’m talking as a writer here); when the bits suddenly click/fall into place and you find yourself writing your heart out.

Frustrating: when you slave away all day and nothing emerges at the other end. A sense of things not done, not completed.

Writing or teaching? Why?

Please can I have a combination? I miss the classroom (because I do mostly writing and travelling to talk/work with teachers). I miss – oh how I miss – the staffroom. A good staffroom is the best place in the world.

Image by Victoria Boobyer at eltpics That the world has so many different ways of making music fills me with awe and joy. The different sounds we can get used to listening to; the ways we express joy an grief; what we learn to dance to. I’ve only heard this instrument played once, in Da Nang, and I loved it and felt I had been shown a little bit of Vietnam’s heart.

A teacher from your schooldays:

A rather improbable music teacher called Anthony Smith-Masters. And he had a lisp. But he seemed to believe in me – or rather he seemed to think someone like me who expressed enthusiasm should be ‘given their head’, challenged. I never became a good musician (I don’t have the talent and I certainly didn’t practise enough), but I am a passionate musician because of him, and any performance abilities I have sprung directly from his approach, I think.

What was the first thing you learnt as a TEFL teacher?

That it could be fun, challenging, scary, deeply satisfying. We suited each other almost immediately.

What motivates/inspires you most?

Enthusiasm. Fresh ideas. The whole world of ELT has been changed for me in the last few years by the emergence of a whole new tribe of energetic, excited, clever educators – at conferences, on social media etc. Wonderful.

Do you ever cry in the cinema?

Oh yes! And feel silly. But sometimes you can hardly speak – and when it’s a quiet scene you really don’t want to snuffle all the time. Films on aeroplanes are the worst. Something about the cabin pressure, perhaps. But I have cried at the stupidest rubbish up at 37,000 feet!

Beans on toast and a cuppa, or haute cuisine and a 1995 Rioja?

Image by @YTatLE at eltpics                I like wine. I do. It’s an important part of my life. I try to look on the bright side too. But we all have moods. I think I’m an optimist – except when I am not. I think there is still wine to drink, except when i look at the glass and already regret the fact that I am going to finish it any second now.

Where?

Beans on toast and Rioja. Allowed?

Favourite film?

To Kill a Mockingbird

Beach, mountains or city?

City (with some mountains nearby). So why do I live in Cambridge?

Tablet or pen & notebook?

Tablet

Cinema or DVD at home?

Cinema – shared experience