The One About EARCOS 2010

Last March 26-28, I attended the EARCOS Teachers' Conference at the International School Manila (ISM). The conference was attended by teachers and other educational professionals from international school in Asia. Keynote addresses were given by really good education professionals (I love Taylor Mali!) and there were lots of concurrent workshops to choose from. Prior to that weekend, I spent three afternoons agonizing over what seminars to go to because all seemed really good.

Here are photos I took of ISM:

Starbucks, anyone? :)

The crafts fair and welcome reception

I was able to attend nine workshops in three days:

1. The Teaching Share: How to Help Students Reflect on Their Work and Wrap Up a Day's Reading and Writing Workshop (Maggie Moon)

2. Emotional Rooms: How to Create Classrooms that are Uplifting for the Spirit (2 sessions by John Joseph)

3. Assessment with the Brain in Mind (John Joseph)

4. Strong Readers/Strong Writers: Making Deep Connections (Jane Kurtz)

5. The Reality of Fashion Design and TV (Aries Lagat, winner of Project Runway Philippines Season 1)

6. School-wide Behavior Management (Dawn Dinwiddie)

7. Preventing Teacher Burnout (Pascale Thomas)

8. Classroom Literacy Techniques: Phonemic Awareness and Multisensory Approaches (Amy Narayan/Julie Schneller)

I was also able to reunite with my friends and former colleagues from Cebu International School.

I used to work closely with Becca because she used to be the first grade ESL teacher when I handled first grade students at Cebu International School (CIS).

Verlyn is the Mandarin teacher at CIS.

With Ces (Grade 2), Darlene (Kindergarten 1), and Michelle (Grade 5), all missed friends from CIS

It felt great learning something new practically every hour and catching up with friends as well. All in all, it was a tiring weekend but nonetheless fun and productive. :)