Teach Less Learn More

Last week was one of those weeks – the ones where you are on a roller coaster of emotions and you are not sure which one will work.

First to the weather, as they say on the news.  Beijing air quality or pollution index was AWFUL.  Have you ever had a day when you feel that you can just reach out and grab the air or even eat it?  That is what it was like last week for 5 straight days.  We had the highest pollution index I have seen in my 6 years here in Beijing.  A normal day like today has the air quality running at about 140 but last week it stayed from 330 up to over 500.

Beijing Air

Why the bad air? Well, it has something to do with the cold air pushing down on the pollution and not allowing it out.  All very scientific….

So how did it affect me??????  For a week I had the most unbelievable painful headaches and sore eyes.  Pollution does not usually bother me, in fact I have more trouble when I go back home to Ontario than I do here.  But not least week.  I ended up going home one afternoon and sleeping for 8 hours, missing two Christmas staff parties because I couldn’t stand the noise.

Finally the wonderful Beijing wind came in and the air suddenly cleared over night and things are back to normal.

I am looking for a job and that is bringing me a lot of stress.  I have been informed that I do have a new contract, I thought my age might be a factor, for the next two years but I am not sure what I want to do.  OK, I do know what I want to do which is go to a school where IT is embedded and an active part of the curriculum.  I find it hard being the lone voice in the wilderness.  I would love to be at a school with a 1:1 program or at least where laptops are being incorporated.  Of course, it is hard to leave a place where I have been for the past 6 years.

The highs were definitely the K12 Online Conference.  Wow, I have learned so much already and have tried out so many new applications.  I will write more specifically about those later.

Google Wave – I finally got an invitation and now can spend the holidays finding out what it is all about.

The new week has started and looks good – no headache, little pollution and 4 days of school left.