Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Welcome Friends!

Welcome!
Hi there and welcome to my English language teaching blog!  Here, I try to post links to videos, articles and music, and ideas for teaching English.  I hope you find some of the information on this blog useful. If you have any questions, comments, resources or suggestions  please feel free to send me an email or message on this blog!

 
 The Name?
 
If you are familiar with the Turkish language, you have probably heard the word ''hocam". As an English teacher in a Turkish university, 'hello hocam' is a phrase I literally hear about ten times a day.  I'm neither a historian or a fluent speaker but I have both experienced and been told is that the word was originally used in Ottoman times for religious instructors yet now "Hocam" has become slang for "my teacher" and even "my friend". Whatever its exact meaning and origin, it is a phrase that reminds me of my students who every day inspire me to become a better version of myself, both personally and professionally. So, with that being said, it felt right to name my blog after this phrase.


A little bit about me: 




Just in case you'd like to know a little bit about the person on the other side of the screen, here is a bit of information. My name is Danielle and I received a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and an M.A. in English Secondary Education. After graduation I went on to teach at a private language school in Rome, Italy and worked there until quite recently when I began teaching English at a university in Southeastern Turkey.

My educational philosophy is pretty simple: I believe that every student has the potential to learn something new and that learning should be fun, interactive and individualized while also being cooperative and meaningful. I believe that technology is an incredibly useful tool but shouldn't be used in isolation (just like everything else). I value social interaction, discussion, music and just about anything that encourages my students to ask questions.

I addition to this very "professional" summary of my life, I am also bookworm, cook, news junkie, language lover and a lifelong learner. I absolutely love my job and am always looking for new, creative and fun approaches to teaching. So, again, if you have any suggestions or ideas please feel free to share them! 

Thanks and enjoy! 

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