The chalkboard, my playground

I love to write. I love to be creative. I love art. What a great way to showcase all of that than on a chalkboard. One of the best things about teaching is using visuals to explain something. In my case, visuals are used to explain grammar. I draw a lot so there are endless smiley faces, or pictures on the board. It really helps get the message across especially when practicing pronunciation. It's fun for them and me. I've learned early on in my teaching career that a positive attitude is necessary in order for students to learn. As I told my students two weeks ago, "If you're comfortable here [ESL class] then it makes learning English a little easier." For teachers, it allows us to share our creativity and interest in our students' learning. I've been teaching since 2005 and in every level of English class I taught, there's always a new challenge to overcome. I am not a grammar wiz and at times I forget the rules. However, I am not afraid of making mistakes, because that's how one learns. My students know that "Teacher" isn't afraid to have an "oops" moment, or use the dictionary to spell a word. I believe if students see that teachers are learners as well, they won't be afraid to try. I am always proud when students come up to me and say, "I will try my best." In everything we do, we must try our best. The chalkboard allows me to display my knowledge, art, as well as mistakes. It's my little playground, and I'm happy to be able to share that with my students.