Mindfulen | Дзен

Gratitude diary. You have heard about those, haven’t you? I am a stationeries junkie, so I’ve bought a fair share of gratitude journals throughout the years. You’ll ask me why. Well, there’s a simple answer - for my mental health. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude has a positive impact on our well-being. Research has proven people who express gratefulness tend to be healthier, more energetic, and optimistic. They’re also more empathetic and less likely to experience clinical depression...

11 месяцев назад

Cheating can be good for you

Thinking back to your school and university years, do you remember cheating on exams and tests? I have never been one to cheat, to be honest, a little miss goody two-shoes. I thought of cheating as despicable. Especially at school. Later, at university I tried, but it never worked out for me: I felt a bit too self-conscious about simply reaching for the cheat sheet. I never managed to actually use it. “Cheating is what lazy people do. It’s the easy way out.” I did learn the value of cheating eventually, though...

1 год назад

Catch-ups

That is the word I use in the private profile of each student when I want to specify that we have been discussing ✨ life ✨. Typically, it’s just a warm-up, the usual “How are you?” and “What’s new?” But at times, these conversations span an hour: we go from one thing to another and lose the track of time or consciously decide to postpone the lesson materials until next time. Instead, I make notes, introduce necessary vocabulary and explain the grammar structures that you need while describing those specific experiences...

1 год назад

Using Adjectives with “en” to Create Verbs #grammar There are some adjectives that are short, one syllable long - for example, “soft”. Have you known that we can turn such adjectives into a verb by adding the suffix “-en” at the end? Soft-soften. Such verbs amplify their adjective’s qualities. As you have noticed before, I’ve called the general course and my social media accounts - Mindfulen. For me, it has two interpretations. First, a combination of words “Mindful” and “English”. Typically, both teachers and students have to adhere to a syllabus with specific deadlines. But everyone’s unique, every student moves at their own pace. My goal as a teacher is to respect individual needs, while turning English into a tool of communication. Second, albeit grammatically incorrect, mindfulen is a verb, describing that my students and I progress at a comfortable speed, without judgement. Plus, quite often we discuss mental health, psychology and well-being. So everything is tied together pretty nicely. 😉

1 год назад

I hadn't wanted to become a teacher until I was made to

No. Really. As a child, I wanted to be a doctor. Then I realized I faint when I smell anything hospitals-related. I studied International Relations, then worked for a nano-composites company, did some social projects, and slaved away at a university. This was where the boss made me teach (I was actually in charge of an international cooperation unit — a purely administrative position). In hindsight, I didn't mind doing it. But it ended up being just one more excuse to be unhappy with my job at the time...

1 год назад