Interesting Occurrences

     Well, it is a lazy Sunday evening even though it has been a rather busy but uneventful day.  Catching up on my homework is an unenviable task, but necessary nonetheless.  It has been an interesting week because I met a very fascinating person in a rather unconventional way, and am looking forward to meeting in person soon.  The difficulties of living a significant distance apart may be worrisome, or may dissipate, depending upon one's point of view.

     Testing will rev up again tomorrow and will keep me (and my poor students) busy for another couple of weeks.  It would be lovely to think I could wrap it all up more quickly, but it does not seem likely.  This past week saw me on the verge of tears watching my lovely fourth grade Arabic-speaking student  practice her test on a laptop, in English, when she could not understand anything on the screen.  The test was previously administered with paper and pencil and, if a student could not, or did not, answer more than a few questions in a row, one could stop the test.  With this lovely computerized interactive version, the student, regardless of English level, will begin with the listening portion, which consists of a great deal of verbal computerized instruction followed by approximately 30 questions, all in English.  In order to advance from one question to the next, an answer choice is required.  After wading through this first trial, a student goes on to a similarly-formatted reading segment and speaking as well.  The writing is the last segment and, even if a student could not answer a single question, he or she must begin an online writing portion.  After spending several weeks trying to work with newcomer students and trying to show them (and their instructors) ways that they can be successful in a classroom, we sit them down in a desk and say "have at it" without any supports at all.  It is thoroughly disheartening.  And, when I went to get the poor girl to take the actual test, her classroom teacher said that the student had stopped doing any work at all since the day we practiced the test.  Not something that is nice to hear.

     This week one class ends for me while another has just gotten under way.  On top of these two, I am participating in a Coursera class on Sustainable Development and an East Asia Society book group on "Reading the Mao Years".  I would love to just get away for a few days with no worries,but I would probably be worried no matter where I am.  Better to stay on track and keep the shoulder to the wheel, right?  
 
     Fingers crossed that I get some good news from Colorado on a seminar I hope to attend, good news from a seminar in Chicago, and that all goes well for my presentation of action research at the GLOBELT 2016 Conference in Antalya, Turkey!  Thank God for a very cool friend who will be meeting me there for moral support.  Thank you, Sarah Healy!!  Also, I have my fingers crossed for continued luck with a very special person as we continue to get acquainted.