catalog of books and a personal message for the reader
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Catalog of Books by Thomas Jerome Baker
And a Personal Message for the Reader(s)
The author giving a workshop for teachers at English Summer Town in January 2008, at CPEIP, Santiago Chile.
Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker
Thomas Baker is the Past-President of TESOL Chile(2010-2011). He is the Head of
the English Department at Colegio Internacional SEK in Santiago, Chile.
He is the Co-Founder and Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago, free, participant-
driven, democratic, conversation based professional development for teachers, by
teachers. EdCamp Santiago 2012 was held at Universidad Mayor in Santiago.
Thomas is also a member of the Advisory Board for the International Higher
Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL), where he also serves as a
reviewer and as theHETL Ambassador for Chile.
Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. Thus far, he has written the
following genres: romance, historical fiction, autobiographical, sports
history/biography, and English Language Teaching. He has published a total of
forty three (43) books overall.
The source and inspiration for his writing comes from his family, his wife Gabriela,
and his son, Thomas Jerome Baker, Jr.
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jerome-Baker/e/B007G9HJFM
Gabriela and Thomas at his graduation from the combined DELTA/Diplomado Course at Universidad Finis Terrae in Santiago.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thomas Jerome Baker is the Past-President of TESOL Chile (2010-2011). He is the
Coordinator of the English Department at Colegio Internacional SEK in Santiago,
Chile.
He is the Co-Founder and Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago: free, participant-
driven, democratic, conversation-based professional development for teachers, by
teachers.
Thomas was trained as a nurse at the Berufsfachschule für Krankenpflege,
Kreiskrankenhaus Eschenbach, Germany and subsequently worked as a nurse in
internal medicine, intensive care unit. In the USA, he worked as a Director of Staff
Development, long-term care, and as a Clinic Manager at a community health care
clinic for mostly low income, migrant farm workers and their families in Woodland,
California.
Thomas is also a member of the Advisory Board for the International Higher
Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL), where he also serves as a
reviewer and as the HETL Ambassador for Chile.
Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. He has written the following
genres: romance, historical fiction, autobiographical, sports history/biography, and
English Language Teaching.
Author Page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/thomasjeromebaker
Blog: http://www.profesorbaker.com
20-Question Author Interview:Thomas Jerome Baker
1. Your name:
Thomas Jerome Baker
2. Short Bio:
I’m Thomas Jerome Baker, author, brother, uncle, husband,
son-in-law, brother-in-law, cousin, father, son, and teacher. I
have to say there are two passions in my life: writing and
reading (lifelong) and teaching English. I even met my wife,
Gaby, at an English course and can boast I’ve been reading,
writing and teaching for as long as I can remember.
I’m the Past-President of TESOL Chile (2010 – 2011), a Co-
Founder and Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago, and the
Coordinator of the English Department at Colegio
Internacional SEK.
3. When and why did you begin writing?
My writing has always given me such personal enjoyment. I
started writing poetry and short stories in grade school but
never showed them to anyone.
I began to share my writing with my students because I found
it was a way to get reluctant readers to engage on a deeper
level with a text. I feel that writing is a great way for me to
reflect on life in general and express myself a lot more
eloquently than the hustle and bustle of everyday life permits.
Progressing into the ‘author world’ is a personal goal and
allows me to leave a bit of legacy for those who know me best,
my family…
4. What inspired you to write your first book?
My students, who were all boys, weren’t reading well. They
could read quite well, but they weren’t interested in reading,
frankly. Over the winter holiday I wrote “Meet Me in
Memphis“, a wonderful boys book, with lots of familiar places,
love, romance, danger, and a difficult decision to make for the
two protagonists. It actually got the boys reading and I’ve been
writing seriously ever since.
5. Did it take a long time to get your first book
published?
As a matter of fact it did. I didn’t try to find a publisher, and I
didn’t want to pay an exorbitant amount of money to have a
publisher print a few copies. Seven years went by before I had
the will and the technology to self-publish on Amazon.
6. What made you decide to self-publish?
To be frank, self-publishing puts me in control of everything,
and I like that. I’ve published thirthy five (35) books in a very
short period of time and that would have been an impossible
feat with a publisher.
7. How do you market your work?
I do a lot of social media networking, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Goodreads, and several others. Also, I am a people
person so it is easy for me to talk one-on-one with individuals
about my work. I find people are more inclined to buy my
book when they get a personal introduction and pitch. It’s all
about selling yourself first and your writing second, in my
opinion.
8. What is the name of your latest book, and if you
had to summarise it in less than 20 words, what
would you say?
My latest book is called, “The Interview Teacher: From
Imagination to Sophistication“.
Interviews go from being an imaginary event to a very
sophisticated discourse process, like this interview, for
example…
9. How long does it usually take you to write a book,
from the original idea to finishing writing it?
That’s tricky since “Amy Winehouse: Angel Song” was
grounded firmly in reality, though not a biography, but an act
of redemption. When she was alive we spent so much time
focusing on her problems and very little on what her musical
legacy was, on the one hand, and her personal significance to
the world was, on the other. That kind of story needs more
time to dig deeper, emotionally, in oneself.
Further, all the proceeds, every penny, every dollar, every
pound, every Euro, the entire proceeds, all of the money for
the sale of the book goes to the Amy Winehouse Foundation to
help young people who are struggling with alcohol addiction.
Again, to speak frankly, drug and alcohol addiction is not a
very popular charity to give money to / to donate financial
resources. Yet I would suspect that most of us would have very
little trouble in identifying someone who needs help.
The ironic thing is that the earlier you get rehabilitation
treatment and therapy for people in need, the better the
outcome is. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to wait
until someone hits rock bottom to help. By then, it’s usually
too late to do much good.
To make a long story short, Amy Winehouse is a person who I
consider to have been a brilliant musician, singer, songwriter,
given to us on Earth for a short time, and in that time, proved
that she belonged among the Angels in Heaven according to
what she taught us with her music, her voice, and yes, her life.
She is missed down here…
Obviously, this book took a long time to write, but when I’m
writing about teaching, it’s usually my experience that is
ultimately readily available for expression. That’s a very quick
process. As I said before, I’ve written 35 books and the
majority are books about some aspect of education, which I’m
familiar with. Again, it’s quite a swift process.
10. What genre would you place your books into?
English Language Teaching / Education / Historical Fiction /
Romance / Non-Fiction Biographical
11. Where do you get your book plot ideas from?
My life experience on the one hand and inspiration from my
wife and my son on the other.
12. Do you have a writing routine?
I have to write some every day. Writing gives me a way to
spend my time creatively, imaginatively, and passionately
engaged in bringing something together that often has not
been said adequately. So, yes, I write every day, and it is a lot
of fun, pleasant, and deeply satisfying for me.
To say I’m addicted to writing would be an injustice, however.
Just like the human body needs food, my mind needs a
creative outlet. For me, that’s writing, a personal necessity.
13. Have you ever suffered from a “writer’s block”?
What did you do to get past the “block”?
I’ve been fortunate not to have writer’s block, but if that were
the case I’d try to figure out what was coming between my
ability to write, and then, more importantly, decide if there
was anything I could do about the situation. More often than
not, life presents you with situations that are beyond your
control, and when you accept that, to live with ambiguity, you
are able to carry on with the things you want to do. At least,
that’s what works for me.
14. Are there any specific authors whose writing
styles or subject matter inspires your book(s)?
In the field of ELT, Scott Thornbury is an awesome author, as
well as Herbert Puchta. Herbert is a Past-President of the
International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign
Language (IATEFL), a global organization dedicated to
improving the teaching and learning of English as a foreign
language. I have several of their books, and they have
influenced my thinking about ELT and being a teacher in
general. Both have been wonderful role models for many
teachers to aspire to one day.
I do not exaggerate when I say that achieving a quarter – one
fourth – of what they have done in their careers would be a
satisfying and rewarding career for most of us in the field of
English Language Teaching, to include myself.
Herbert’s work with teaching teenagers is fantastic and Scott
is always willing to extend a warm hand of guidance to
anyone. He writes a regular blog post on Sunday on his
blog, An A-Z of ELT, that any teacher could take advantage of.
It costs you only your time, and the learning is guaranteed.
You always learn something new, or, you see a given aspect of
teaching in a different light. It’s because you were thinking,
questioning your beliefs and assumptions. These are my
giants, Scott and Herbert, and they willingly make their
shoulders available for anyone to stand on…
15. What are you currently reading?
I actually am just beginning “Dreams of My Father” by Barack
Obama. The book was given to me as a present four years ago
(1), so it was about time I got around to reading it. It is a real
page turner so if you put it off until now like I did, you should
check it out!
16. What piece of advice would you give to a new
writer?
Never give up your dream.
Work hard.
Write about the things you know about and, the people and
the places that you know about. In that way, your writing will
be authenticly YOU, and thus, very convincing.
Don’t worry so much about being rich and famous – just enjoy
the journey and let the fame and riches take care of itself. To
be frank, most writers write as a hobby, few are able to make a
living as a writer, so whatever you do – don’t quit your day
job!
17. Do you have another project in the works? If so,
what is it?
Yes, the third book in the Storyteller Series– the trilogy. I have
one more book to write, and then I will lay the Last
Storyteller to rest.
This mystical story is about the son of the Storyteller. The Son
must carry on with life after his father and mother have died
and left him as the only StoryTeller alive on Earth to find the
Philosopher’s Stone and to save the world from the forces of
evil who also want the stone.
I’m actually still letting the story develop in my mind before I
sit down to write it. As the last book in the trilogy, it is going to
be the decisive moment for the Earth, based on his failure or
success in keeping the stone out of the hands of those who
would use its power for evil purposes.
Stay tuned for this one – it’s gonna be a great book! Look for,
“The StoryTeller’s Son” to complete the trilogy if you already
have Books one and two: Book One: Celestial Games, and
Book Two: The Last StoryTeller.
18. How can people get in touch with you?
Email: profesorbaker@gmail.com
My website is www.profesorbaker.com
19. Where else can your readers find you?
I am also at English Class
http://englishclass2000.blogspot.com/, Reading to
Speak, Debates in EFL, Teacher of English.
I have a Author Page / Fan Page on Facebook, an Author
Page on Amazon, and Goodreads http://bit.ly/Ia7Hh8 , too.
a) Your blog details?www.profesorbaker.blogspot.com
b) Your Facebook page? Facebook
c) Your Goodreads author page? Goodreads
http://bit.ly/Ia7Hh8
d) Your Twitter details? @profesortbaker
https://twitter.com/#!/profesortbaker
e) Your book trailer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwBYtgDoTH0
f) Amazon page
20. Where can readers buy your books?
CreateSpace Amazon http://amzn.to/AC4eXg
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jerome-Baker/e/B007G9HJFM
Thank you so much & good luck with all your books.
Thank you kindly…
Poems & Poetry: Our Storyhttp://goo.gl/XIunY
This is the place where one looks,
where we can find distant places,
full of magical, adventurous faces.
Here, in the magical books.
This is the place where one looks!
Being A Teacher in Chile“How do you become a good teacher?” Those of you who know me from reading my
writing already know my answer. The short answer, the simple answer, the easy to
understand answer. It has two parts.
First, love what you do. Love being a teacher so much that if you had the power to
be anything on Earth, pilot, astronaut, doctor, dentist, taxi-driver, singer, dancer,
artist, musician, anything at all, you would still choose to be a teacher. Love being a
teacher, that’s number one…
Most Studious on Amazon Kindle
Most Studious
For more than four hundred years, the personal essay has been one of the richest and most vibrant of all literary forms.
Distinguished from the detached formal essay by its friendly, conversational tone, its loose structure, and its drive toward candor and self-disclosure, the personal essay seizes on the minutiae of daily life-vanities, fashions, foibles, oddballs, seasonal rituals, love and disappointment, the pleasures of solitude, reading, taking a walk — to offer insight into the human condition and the great social and political issues of the day.
Most Studious is a celebration of this genre: the personal essay.
http://amzn.to/K0J8Ar
http://amzn.to/K0J8Ar
http://amzn.to/JgXYW4
http://amzn.to/JgXYW4
http://amzn.to/K0JlUu
http://amzn.to/K0JlUu
http://amzn.to/My6ota
http://amzn.to/My6ota
Teacher Talking Time
Teacher Talking Time
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AZ99DW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AZ99DW
Connectivism For EFL Teachers
Connectivism For EFL Teachers
EdCamp Santiago: The First Seven Days
EdCamp Santiago: The First Seven Days
Boudicca: Her Story
Boudicca: Her Story
Meet Me in Memphis
Meet Me in Memphis
The Collected Short Stories ofT. Jerome Baker
The Collected Short Stories ofT. Jerome Baker
Links to Paperback Books at Publisher Createspace:
authored by Thomas Jerome Baker
Alexis Sanchez: The Beautiful GamePoetry in Motion
https://www.createspace.com/3814252
Being A Reading Teacher
https://www.createspace.com/3823637
Being A Teacher In Chilehttps://www.createspace.com/3866846
Celestial Games: Aquarians, Lepechauns & The Pot of Goldhttps://www.createspace.com/3785138Book Trailer: Celestial Games
Song: Die Zeit Hält Nicht An / Time Never Stopshttp://bit.ly/IHaQAK
aus dem MP4Life Vol3 Mixtape2010(MPR Artists: )Phenom, Erika, J-Zwok & Chriz
Connectivism & Connected Knowledge:A Personal Journey
https://www.createspace.com/3822545
Connectivism for EFL Teachers:A Theory of Learning for A Digital Age
https://www.createspace.com/3804227
EdCamp Santiago:A R(E)volution in Professional Development
https://www.createspace.com/3816401
Fear of Writinghttps://www.createspace.com/3817421
How to Teach the “Art” of Writinghttps://www.createspace.com/3823252
Let A Thousand Models Bloom:The Unconference is Deadhttps://www.createspace.com/3883954
La Desconferencia: Edcamp Santiago (Spanish)
https://www.createspace.com/3877968
Luxora: My Hometownhttps://www.createspace.com/3811122
Most Studioushttps://www.createspace.com/3858227
My Dear Friend, Welcome to ChileThe Most Beautiful Country in the World
https://www.createspace.com/3803278
Profesorbaker's Blog:A Bit of Everything
https://www.createspace.com/3808964
Story TellersIn Pursuit of Happiness
https://www.createspace.com/3840772
Teacher Professional Development: Reflectionshttps://www.createspace.com/3820692
Teacher Talking Time:The 80 - 20 Rule ReVisited
https://www.createspace.com/3806690
Teaching Academic Writing:Theory, Practice & The Passive Voice Controversy
https://www.createspace.com/3801287
Teaching Debate in Chile:Age of Wisdom, Season of Light, Spring of Hope
https://www.createspace.com/3784907
Teaching the Four Skills in EFL:Activities for EFL Teachershttps://www.createspace.com/3809085
The Chilean National English Test:A Personal Journey
https://www.createspace.com/3835087
The International Baccalaureate:The International Baccalaureate Program
https://www.createspace.com/3815969
The Interview Teacher:From Imagination to Sophistication
https://www.createspace.com/3852047
The Last Storyteller:The Philosopher's Stone
https://www.createspace.com/3840465
The Native Speaker Myth ReVisitedhttps://www.createspace.com/3809987
The PLN:Professional Learning Network
https://www.createspace.com/3810086
The Spelling Bee for EFL Teachershttps://www.createspace.com/3829193
Time To Teach Teenshttps://www.createspace.com/3825340
The author making the Welcome Speech at the 2010 IATEFL-TESOL International Conference held at Universidad San Sebastián in Santiago, Chile.
The International Baccalaureate: The International Baccalaureate Program (Volume 1) [Paperback]http://amzn.to/LVHpPn
"An international education must go well beyond the provision of information and is involved in the development of attitudes and values which transcend barriers of race, class, religion, gender or politics." —International Baccalaureate Organization Subject Guide (1996). It is my belief that any education that does not unite the nations of the world in a common endeavour is a relic of the past century. A common sense of sharing the responsibility, equally, for the welfare of the planet, globally, is needed more than ever today. Finally, I can only say one thing: The IB program is a positive way forward for any education system in crisis, any education system that desires quality, any education system that aspires to excellence, any education system that wishes to educate its citizens in the image of the twenty-first century, rather than the past century…
Alexis Sanchez: The Beautiful Game: Poetry in Motion(Volume 1) [Paperback]
http://amzn.to/KS17XH
The Beautiful Game... Alexis Sanchez, the Wonder Boy from Chile, plays football with a grace in style that is magnificent, poetry in motion. Here are the collected essays that follow his meteoric rise to stardom with Spain's most successful team of the past decade, FC Barcelona.
Connectivism for EFL Teachers: A Theory of Learning for A Digital Age(Volume 1) [Paperback]
“Connectivism for EFL Teachers” is the result of reflections, at length, with how I teach. I have learned how to teach by literally sitting at the feet of some of the most respected, talented, and gifted teachers in the ELT profession. I met these giants, oddly enough, at the end of the world, here in Chile. They have taught me much, through their words, their writings, and above all, through their example. As a teacher I owe much of who I am to them. Nonetheless, I take complete responsibility for what I have been able to create with my own talent and intellect. For this reason, I thank my “giants”, anonymously. I seek to emulate their selfless example in my own writing and committment to my profession, English Language Teaching. With this, I hope to have repaid an enduring debt, and in some small measure, inspired another teacher to do as I do, to seek the heights of great teaching.
Thomas Jerome Baker, Santiago, Chile February 2012
http://tinyurl.com/ctmyqvl
Teaching Academic Writing: Theory, Practice & The Passive Voice Controversy(Volume 1) [Paperback] http://tinyurl.com/7roemwg
This book, “Teaching Academic Writing”, is highly practical while addressing the theory underpinning academic writing. It is organized into three parts. Part One: "Writing for Scholarly Publication", takes a historical look at Academic Writing to inform contents for an Academic Writing course.
Part Two, "Helping Preservice Teachers" gives an actual course plan used sucessfully by the author.
Part Three, "The Passive Voice Controversy", demythifies the active voice / passive voice controversy. This is a must have for teachers and students alike.
http://tinyurl.com/7roemwg
Teaching the Four Skills in EFL: Activities for EFL Teachers(Volume 1) [Paperback] http://goo.gl/qkffb
Over the course of my teaching career, I have learned much from observation and experimentation with my students. I owe an eternal debt of gratitude for their willingness to cooperate with me over the years. Thank you, dear students!
EFL Teachers: No matter how good a particular resource or lesson may be, in the end, there is no substitute for the teacher’s own judgement about what works and what doesn’t work with your students.. In this spirit, I recommend the activities for “teaching the four skills” contained within these pages.
Teaching the Four Skills in EFL
Being A Reading Teacher [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/1Dz5l
Reading is for me an act of transformation that is magical. Thirst and hunger fade as the words find their place in my remembrance of you. Who might you be?
You are here with me. Happiness, felicity, thy name is Gaby. Source of all my bravery, you are my poetry...
Reading, I fear thee not.
Fear of reading, Neither cold nor hot, I am reading. I read for my wife, Gabriela de Lourdes León Vargas. I read for my son, Thomas Jerome Baker, Jr. No fear of reading, I am reading...
Being A Teacher In Chile [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/hFfeM
“How do you become a good teacher?” Those of you who know me from reading my writing already know my answer. The short answer, the simple answer, the easy to understand answer. It has two parts.
First, love what you do.
Love being a teacher so much that if you had the power to be anything on Earth, pilot, astronaut, doctor, dentist, taxi-driver, singer, dancer, artist, musician, anything at all, you would still choose to be a teacher.
Love being a teacher, that’s number one.
The Chilean National English Test: A Personal Journey [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/bqgvI
Special Offers and Product Promotions
This book is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books and Home & Garden items. Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free.
Here's how (restrictions apply)
Connectivism & Connected Knowledge: A Personal Journey [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/w1yxp
Connectivism & Connected Knowledge tells the story of my journey from isolation to becoming globally connected to sources of knowledge. It is a journey that begins with a proposition: self-improvement that also benefits others. I go back in time to share this journey with you, certain that it will also benefit you personally, and the members of your personal and professional learning network also.
EdCamp Santiago: A R(E)volution in Professional Development (Volume 1) [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/OmCHF
This book tells the story of EdCamp Santiago. EdCamp is a R(E)volution in professional develoment. It is free, participant-driven, conversation-based, democratic PD for teachers, by teachers. There are no plenaries, no publishers book displays, just teachers talking to teachers, sharing best practice: what works in the classroom, practical, not theoretical knowledge.
Fear of Writing [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/cYRTL
Actually, when I write, there is a feeling of necessity, of something that is stronger than myself, that demands that I must write as I write. I have never renounced anything that I’ve written because I’ve been afraid of certain consequences. Nothing intimidates me when I write. I say what I think must be said. ~ Jacques Derrida
How to Coach a Debate Team(Volume 1) [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/icVw0
This book, “How to Coach a Debate Team”, contains all you need to know to successfully coach a debate team. First, you may need to convince your students that debate is a good thing:
1. Debating ability is a valuable skill. 2. Debate utilizes useful English. 3. It is a unique way to teach grammar. 4. It develops critical thinking skills. 5. It introduces global issues. 6. It develops research skills. This book will give you
insights into how to coach a successful debate team, and equally important, have a lot of fun while doing it...
How to Teach the "Art" of Writing [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/tVjmy
Special Offers and Product Promotions
This item is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books and Home & Garden items.
Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. Here's how (restrictions apply)
The Interview Teacher: From Imagination to Sophistication [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/qtv25
The interview is a genre of written English that gets very little attention, if any, in English Language Teaching. It is highly individualized in nature, requiring flexibility on the part of the interviewer and the interviewee, if it is to be genuinely interactive and spontaneous. Yet what conclusions can draw about an interview, in general, that might be helpful for the English Language Learner? To attempt to answer that question in any kind of depth, actual interviews will be used as a base of reference. Thus, this book attempts to shed some light on the interview as genre in ELT.
The Last Storyteller: The Philosopher's Stone [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/GzJ43
Special Offers and Product Promotions
This item is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books and Home & Garden items.
Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. Here's how (restrictions apply)
Let A Thousand Models Bloom: The Unconference is Dead [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/pYQid
This is the first book about the unconference movement that seeks to address the question: Is the unconference dead? It looks at BarCamp, Edcamp, Educamp, TeachMeet and weighs in on hybrid events - traditional conferences that include an unconference track. Thomas, himself a Co-Founder & Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago, reassures the potential unconference organiser that organising a perfect unconference is a lot less complicated than it seems. “...a perfect unconference ... would be a jam session, a moveable feast.
Improvisation has signal, it has pattern, it has structure, it has plans, but it also has the freedom to say or play what it seems right to say or play at that moment.
Whatever works is what I want to be free to do, what the work of the “un” ought to accomplish, to make working an always-provisional, always-scrutinized, always-open value. Let a thousand models bloom, and then cross-pollinate.” (Timothy Burke, February 9, 2012, “Easily Distracted”)
Luxora: My Hometown: Autobiographical Essays (Volume 1) [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/QK8jB
This book is autobiographical. It relies on my subjective remembrance. There is a clear delineation between fact and fiction. I have tried to be true, above all, to my own Luxora experience. Everyone who is a Luxora Panther, with black and gold blood flowing through our veins, will find a bit of their story, told in my autobiographical essays. For this reason, I wish to share and thus dedicate this book to all the people of Luxora, Arkansas, my hometown.
Most Studious: A Collection of Personal Essays (Volume 1) [Paperback] http://goo.gl/o1ivK
For more than four hundred years, the personal essay has been one of the richest and most vibrant of all literary forms.
Distinguished from the detached formal essay by its friendly, conversational tone, its loose structure, and its drive toward candor and self-disclosure, the personal essay seizes on the minutiae of daily life-vanities, fashions, foibles, oddballs, seasonal rituals, love and disappointment, the pleasures of solitude, reading, taking a walk -- to offer insight into the human condition and the great social and political issues of the day.
"Most Studious" is a celebration of this genre: the personal essay.
My #CCK11 Experience [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/BvZxe
Stephen: “On Jan. 17 George Siemens and I will launch the third offering of our online course called ‘Connectivism and Connective Knowledge’ — or CCK11. We use the term ‘connectivism’ to describe a network-based pedagogy. The course itself uses connectivist principles and is therefore an instantiation of the philosophy of teaching and learning we both espouse."
Thomas: “This book is the result of my participation in the CCK11 course...”
My Dear Friend, Welcome to Chile: The Most Beautiful Country in the World (Volume 1) [Paperback] http://goo.gl/4qZyI
My Dear Friend, Welcome to Chile. This book shares the personal sentiment of its author, an expat, after having lived the past eleven years in Chile. He says: "I live in Chile, the most beautiful country in the world."
He continues: "As I say these words, I want you to know that I come from the United States of America, a country that stretches from sea to shining sea, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The USA is indeed a magnificent country, but it isn’t Chile..."
The Native Speaker Myth ReVisited [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/98eTu
When I first began my blog, “Profesorbaker’s Blog: A Bit of Everything” http://www.profesorbaker.com/ I ran across a powerful piece of writing by Karenne Joy Sylvester, called “NNEST’s Can’t Do DOGME: Explode the Myths. It raised my level of consciousness about this issue, the Native Speaker Myth, from which I have been a beneficiary. Even today, this issue rarely sees daylight, rarely is the subject of discussion when ELT teachers meet and talk shop, rarely gets any attention. It’s the “black sheep” of the ELT profession. Within the pages of this book, that fact will be amply evident.
Does this book offer any new insights? I believe it does. And even if I’m wrong, I repay my enduring debt to Karenne Joy Sylvester for having raised my consciousness, if all this book does, is raise your consciousness, dear Reader(s). However, I am convinced it will do much more than that. I hope you enjoy your story, for I have written this as a story for your enjoyment...
Pecha Kucha & English Language Teaching[Paperback]
http://goo.gl/x88GQ
I saw my first Pecha Kucha over three years ago. It was when I was working at Universidad Andrés Bello at Campus Casona in Santiago with the students in the English Pedagogy program. I admit I’ve been fascinated by “Pecha Kucha” ever since that first time. I remember being very impressed by the performance I watched.
There were a number of reasons for this. For now, let me share with you why I find Pecha Kucha to be so impressive and fascinating as a presentation technique. You feel it – through your eyes – to your brain –to your emotions. It’s visual storytelling.
That's what the Pecha Kucha is, visual literacy in its purest form...
The PLN: Professional Learning Network[Paperback] http://goo.gl/GpBgW
I am grateful and thankful for all the informal and formal learning opportunities I have had access to through the individual and collective members of my PLN, my ProfessionalLearning Network.
Each one of you is indispensable to my learning, and thusly, I treasure all of you, equally. Thank you.
Thanks to the 1,980 members of my LinkedIn network. Through you, I have access to the collective wisdom and knowledge of 12,614,973 people. Let me spell that out: Twelve million, six hundred fourteen thousand, nine hundred and seventy three people...
The Spelling Bee for EFL Teachers [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/aMvnO
Spelling is the Cinderella of language learning. Ask a teacher how to teach spelling, and the answer will most likely be echoed by students: Read books. Pay attention to words. Notice them.
While knowing words is important, what can be done to spell unknown words is the larger question. This book will take a look at both the spelling of known and unknown words, and be an experiential account of the author's encounter with spelling as both a learner and a teacher of English as a Foreign Language.
Story Tellers: In Pursuit of Happiness [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/Qwnza
Story Tellers have always told the stories of man's pursuit of gold and power. In this book we meet a mythical storyteller, Solomon, his wife Lanisha, and his son David.
Through their stories we follow the earliest fortunes and misfortunes of man's attempt to achieve tremendous wealth and power. It is a story which will leave you wiser about the true meaning of love, success, and happiness in our lives...
Teacher Professional Development: Reflections[Paperback] http://goo.gl/UAVsJ
Teacher Professional Development: Reflections. What's the difference between a great teacher and an average teacher?
That's a complicated question, with many variables. For me, the answer is a simple one, however: Teacher Professional Development. I share my reflections and my personal experience on this topic with you...
Teacher Talking Time: The 80 - 20 Rule ReVisited [Paperback] http://goo.gl/eJD66
“Isn’t there a rule of thumb that teachers are supposed to talk something like a ratio of 20:80? Isn’t this the 80/20 Rule?” Teacher Talking Time , where does this rule come from?
My CELTA teacher (what was her name?) (I remember: Lise Bell, what a great teacher she was.) My DELTA teacher? (Christine Ng, also a superb teacher) I got up and looked at the numerous “How to Teach” books on my bookshelf by these and many more authors. No, no, and yet no again. I couldn’t find a specific mention of an 80-20 rule. So I thought, “That’s strange. There’s something hardwired in my brain, and it’s apparently something that no one has written about at any length. At least, not in ELT.” That's why this book is very necessary, to fill that gap in our EFL knowledge.
Teaching Debate in Chile: Age of Wisdom, Season of Light, Spring of Hope (Volume 1) [Paperback] http://goo.gl/nHq8k
Why should we teach our students to debate?
Here’s a global answer: "Sooner or later, all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace... If this is to be achieved, man must evole for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation..." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
A Test The World Can Take (Volume 1) [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/Cj6F3
“The quality of an education system can never exceed the quality of its teachers”. –Andreas Schleicher PISA: A test the whole world can take…
It’s a breathtaking concept — but for the OECD, it’s a very real way of finding out how well-prepared today’s students are to participate in society. The OECD's latest PISA Survey tests reading, mathematics and science performance by students in 65 economies worldwide. In light of the education unrest in Chile of the past year, it is quite a revelation to know of the progress Chilean students have made over the past decade. That done, will the Chilean system evolve into a high performing one? If Chile gets education reform right, (a big if) there is no doubt that it surely will evolve positively...
Time To Teach Teens [Paperback]
http://goo.gl/fwZ53
How can we get teenagers engaged in autonomous and cooperative learning? If the teenagers you teach are like the ones I teach, this is not an easy task. Why?
Because being a teenager is difficult. However, I believe there are some avenues I've taken that can offer a way to increase your success in teaching teens.
The aim of this book is therefore, to share experieces which have worked. This is not intended to prescribe, but to describe.
The successful teacher will adapt my experience to their own teaching and learning context.
Connectivism and Connected Knowledge: Participating in a MOOC [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/jxnIs
Currently, there are two ways to find out what learning in a massive, open, online course is like: One, you can participate in such a course, provided you have the time necessary to invest in such a learning experience. When your time is the limited and precious commodity that we all know it to be, you may not be able to participate, however. Don’t feel bad about that. That’s life, and for the majority of us mortals, we work for a living in a world that will not let us simply employ our time in any pursuit. We have to be selective, to be balanced with the way in which we invest our time. Families, friends, hobbies, rest & relaxation demand an equal share of the 24 hour clock. So, if we can’t participate in a MOOC, that leaves option two available. Option Two? You can read this book…
Writing For Publication: Publish or Perish[Kindle Edition] http://goo.gl/JsyOq
Publish or Perish. Like it or not, if you have chosen academia as a career, there is very little alternative to publishing. You must seek the legitimacy of peer approval on the one hand, and the track record of consistent publications.
A one off publication in a local magazine or journal, once a year, simply is not enough. Yet how to publish, when no one ever taught you how to write and publish a Research Article, let alone an entire book. This book fills that gap by sharing with students, teachers, investigators and researchers the writing for publication process. Its message is reduced to one fundamental virtue: Perseverance. Rejection is to be expected and is dealt with positively. If a writer is perseverant, her / his efforts will result in publication...
Native Speaker Needed? [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/Ek3dD
At the 2007 TESOL Chile Conference the question was asked: Are native speaker teachers automatically the best teachers of a language? Just because you speak a language naturally, does that mean you can teach it? Or does the process of learning a language to a high level of fluency make non-native speaker teachers far better equipped to teach that language? This book shares the global voices of those on both sides of the issue, pro and con, with their realities, perceptions and beliefs.
Some say the Native Speaker is the best teacher. Others voices say the Non-Native Speaker teacher is the best teacher. Some say students and their parents prefer the Native Speaker. Others say the evidence does not support that statement. This is where we begin our journey.
The book takes this point of departure, the never ending controversy of the mythical Native Speaker as the ideal language teacher, privileged, superior, and with a standard of English unattainable for a learner. Right from the outset, the learner is doomed to ultimate failure, to possess a level of language known as "interlanguage" a linguistic Limbo...
Meet Me In Memphis [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/MjGkv
This is a tale of serendipitous romance and fortuitous misfortune. It’s got a familiar feel, mixing in the culture of two nations, and two world-renowned cities, Memphis and Santiago. A romance needs beauty, and this book has the mythological beauty of a goddess present within its pages.
To make it complete, there’s a courageous teacher of English, with a dilemma, with a choice to chance, a difficult decision to make. That is, if the choice can be made. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not leave you with a final word of caution: the reading of this book will cause you to feel the need to travel, to go “Walking in Memphis”, to enjoy the culture and customs you will find within its pages. So, will you, “Meet Me in Memphis?”
Looking For Catarina [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/XW7if
In “Looking For Catarina” you will find two lovers, who are world’s apart. Indeed, they are separated by their worlds. In such instances, one resigns oneself to the realities that govern life, and in time, the memory of the other fades away.
Or grows stronger, with each passing day, each passing moment, and binds one beyond, time, distance, and space itself. Caterina will be lovedby one who feels this depth and intensity and love. Yet will it be enough to save her from her fate?
As you go “Looking For Catarina”, you will be looking for your own redemption, affirming a present love, or resolving a love story that presented impossible obstacles, and you let your love slip away. In this centuries old love story, you reclaim that love, and hold it near and dear to you, day by day, moment by moment, century by century. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not leave you with a caution: This book is for lovers only. If you be without love, the reading of this book will cause you to go, “Looking for Catarina”, looking for love…
Boudicca: Her Story [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/IWCqx
What is deemed as “his-story” is often determined by those who survived to write it. In other words, history is written by the victors. The Roman historian, Tacitus, left us an account of the Roman victory over Queen Boudicca in the year A.D. 60-61.
Yet undeniably, every community has a memory of itself. Nota history, nor an archive, nor an authoritative record, but a living memory, an awareness of a collective identity woven of a thousand stories.
Now, with the help of the Roman historian Tacitus, I shall tell you Queen Boudicca’s story, her-story…… http://goo.gl/IWCqx
Professionalism & Serendipity for Teachers: Powerful Cognitive Learning [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/61tLC
Serendipity is defined as, " A fortunate discovery made by luck." Many scientific discoveries were made serendipitously: antibiotics, X-Rays, gravity, etc. The list could stretch on for days. Yet the nagging question is this one: Was it really all due to serendipity? Just plain luck? Or was there something else at work, something that had been done prior to the incident of serendipity? As a teacher, the limited time and resources we have available demand that we make professional development an intentional act, that is, if we are to derive maximum benefits from our efforts, and ultimately, for our students. This book offers plain, tried and tested, simple yet powerful, cognitive approach to maximise the students and teachers learning, anywhere, anytime, by anybody...
Unlocking Reading For All Students [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/YpY7L
This book shares reading fundamentals that were presented to a group of teachers at a school where I worked, Colegio del Verbo Divino, in Las Condes, in the city of Santiago de Chile. In this sense, it has undergone actual practical application of the concepts presented. Further, in terms of theory, this book aims to share research on reading, and more importantly, how to help students unlock the key to a lifetime of pleasure and learning. It does not seek to cause controversy, rather, it seeks to serve as a reference for the first time teacher of reading and for the experienced teacher of reading who wishes to return to the basics of reading, as defined by the National Reading Panel in 2000.
Teaching the Four Skills in EFL: [Kindle Edition]
http://goo.gl/tp11n
Over the course of my teaching career I have learned much from observation and experimentation with my students. I owe an eternal debt of gratitude for their willingness to cooperate with me over the years.
Thank you, dear students!
EFL Teachers: No matter how good a particular resource or lesson may be, in the end, there is no substitute for the teacher’s own judgement about what works and what doesn’t work with your students.. In this spirit, I recommend the activities for teaching the four skills contained within these pages.
Epilogue: A Personal Message For the readers of my books
Thank you, one and all, individually and collectively, for buying my books. Your support and your loyalty is greatly appreciated. Without you, I must honestly admit that I would not have sat down to write as much and as often as I have. Reader(s) are inspirational for writers, let there be no doubt about that.
As I look over the books I have written, I admit I am content with what I have written, and how I have written. Firstly, “What” I have written is my life story, my autobiography, in every line and in every word. It is full of life, a life lived, full of hopes and dreams, joys and pleasure, and yes, failure and pain.
You will agree with me that I am human, with lots of deeds and qualities that I am proud of, and an equal amount of deeds and qualities that give me much to strive for in the future, namely, to become a better person, in spite of the difficulty that goal obviously entails.
My stories and my books about teaching reveal my way of thinking. I am dedicated, I am motivated, I am a teacher. I love teaching English, and I equally love meeting teachers.
My books leave no doubt about the sincerity of my love for the profession of teaching, and for my deep and abiding faith that we can do better, as teachers, if we help each other to achieve the outer limits of our potential. The saying,
“Together we are better”, has never been more true than today, never more possible, than today. We have the tools and the technology to do great things.
As a great man once said, “If not now, when? If not here, where? If not you, who?” Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–1961)
Ladies and Gentlemen, now is our time, today is our day. Though we may lose our way when a strong wind blows, we must continue when the wind dies down. We can not wait for someone else to come along, when we are already here.
Though we may lose faith when we are disappointed, we must regain that faith and press on when the frustration subsides. Though we many have never been told how powerful we are, we must trust in the knowledge that we are powerful, capable of great things, together. We must never lose hope, for it is the source of ultimate goodness that we all possess.
In my books, hope, faith, power, all come together to answer the three questions asked by Secretary-General Dag Hammerskjöld:
If not now, When? We answer: Now. If not here, Where? We answer: Here. If not you, Who? We answer: I. That is what my writing is all about, helping you to realise that what we do now, right here, matters...
Thank you kindly, in advance, all of you, for buying my books, right now, right here. It’s the beginning of something wonderful, for you, for your students, for all of us...
The Rapper J-Zwock (My Son)
Book Trailer: Celestial Games: The First Pot of Gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saTAfGAVIO8&feature=related
Website: www.profesorbaker.com
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***Song: Die Zeit Hält Nicht An / Time Never Stops
aus dem MP4Life Vol3 Mixtape2010(MPR Artists: ) Phenom, Erika, J-Zwok & Chriz
Die Zeit hält niemals an (MPR) Phenom,Erika,J-Zwok&Chriz
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