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| This is one of three 15-minute workshops I gave on how to blog successfully during our grant year! Photo creds: Helen Li |
I was contacted by the OC Team to lead an Insights Workshop. I was pleased to hear that they had heard good things about my practice teaching sessions, and that they thought I could lead a workshop on either lesson planning or teaching persona.
Insights Workshop is basically an opportunity for any of the current ETAs to give a talk/presentation/etc. on whatever they want, as long as it somehow pertains to the grant year. The workshops are meant to be 15- to 30-minutes long. Most of the ETAs led talks that were teaching-in-Korea-related. Given what the OCs had suggested I teach, I was also considering going this route.
THE DECISION TO GIVE A WORKSHOP ON BLOGGING
However, I did not give myself enough time to think of a creative and fun way to deliver either of the talks, so I decided to teach on...blogging. Not just blogging, but successful blogging during any ETAs grant year.
In 15 minutes, I went over what a blog is, why people should consider blogging (aka the benefits of blogging), blogging platforms available, the five Ps of blogging (Plan, Pen, Publish, Promote, Participate), and the anatomy of a "successful" blog. Here, a "successful" blog is defined as a blog that grabs the attention of a casual web browser by an aesthetically-pleasing design, that entices that web browser to read the actual content by drawing them in with (hopefully) interesting titles, subtitles, photos/photos with captions, etc., and that builds an online community by inviting the online reader to ponder what's been read and leave a thoughtful comment. *ahem I may or may not have used this blog to illustrate some of my points ahem*
THE TEACHING PERSONA EMERGING
I taught after Helen led a workshop on how to use cartoons in the classroom. Her workshop was quite engaging and I almost forgot how nervous I was as I imagined the various childhood cartoons she conjured up in my mind. I was nervous thinking about facing a class of fellow ETAs but this feeling disappeared - once again - as I stood in front of the classroom and began to project my voice. Like my practice teaching sessions, I moved around a lot during this workshop. I was so relieved to realize that my teaching persona is strong (and stronger than my neves!), and can be counted on to emerge regardless of the age of my students/audience.
Also like my practice teaching sessions, I did not heed the "Less is More" mantra, and overpacked my presentation.
THE WORKSHOP AFTERMATH
It was a good overpacked though. This workshop was created with the help of various online resources, which I know would be very easy to find if the other ETAs are interested in learning more. I stressed that what I gave them were just very basic and quick blogging tips and that anyone could create a blog even without any background on blogging or knowledge of HTML or CSS.
I went over time; questions poured in; questions followed me after the workshop ended - in the hallways, during meals in the Grand Cafeteria, while riding the bus to Goesan,...
ETAs who already had blogs said they were inspired to do some redesigning after my workshop. Those who didn't said that they would start one up after the session was over. Those who remained silent later went up to me and told me that they had changed their banner, or reshuffled their color scheme, or added a new "page." ETAs who were not able to attend the workshop told me they had heard great things from the others and wanted to sit down with me and ask me [more] questions about blogging, content, photos, etc.
Believe me, I was so. very. excited. I'm obviously an avid blogger, but to inspire others to likewise share their unique thoughts, experiences, and worldviews - that's 15 minutes of my time well-spent!
MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU
What subjects/topics do you know so well that you could teach on them? What workshop would you give if you had the opportunity to give one?
Do you have a blogging-related question? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
Sorry for all the questions, but I do have a question related to blogging if you can think of an answer/solution... My biggest issue with blogging is getting people to interact with me or to send me questions. I really love answering questions and I try to make that obvious on my blog, but I still rarely get questions. Do you have any ideas how I can better encourage such things on my blog? Feel free to look at my blog if you would like ^^
ReplyDeleteAlso, topics I feel I know well enough to teach on would have to be culture shock/reverse culture shock, and Japanese and Korean culture and languages.... Maybe also basic linguistic concepts... My major in uni is Japanese Studies, with a minor in Korean Studies, to explain that... And all my time abroad has made me way too familiar with reverse culture shock, and culture shock as a general, though I was lucky enough to never experience it myself... I also have way too strong a knowledge about anything and everything Kpop and have before lectured on Korean fandom culture, so there's that too XD