Communication today

I had an interesting discussion today with one of my friends from the JFMF experience. We have kept in touch via our Skype lists and it brought about a chat of technology. He is younger than I am, by only 5 years, but we've joked often about this age difference.
I like to think of myself as being savvy with technology but I find something very impersonal about the IM generation. Technology may have made communication easier and cheaper for people far apart, but there's something missing. I am bothered by the concept of waiting for someone to write back to me as they finish whatever else it is that they are doing. I associate IM-ing with talking on the phone, although there isn't that clarity of hearing the other person's voice. However, it was explained to me that it allows people to multi-task.
I am realistic in admitting that when I am on the phone I may be apt to empty the dishwasher or fold some laundry, but it's still a one on one conversation. As I try this computer communication in the IM world I feel that there are often two conversations taking place at the same time. While one person makes a comment, the other person is making their own. This is like Christmas dinner at my fiance's house, everyone is speaking at the same time, so who's listening? While I am totally making light of this, I think it brings up some semi-serious concerns.
Maybe I need to adjust my thinking regarding all of this, and consider the perspective of my students. Aren't they all about the text messaging and IMing? Do they understand the complications of this? Does this behavior affect their listening and learning?
Are they only half paying attention to each other? Isn't that rude? Do they really work harder to communicate their feelings more clearly rather than leave their words up to interpretation? Does it really help their writing skills? I'm not so sure. At my own school I haven't seen any evidence to support that, yet.
What I did realize today, as we both made of good arguments about the subject, was that I actually felt old-fashioned in my thinking. I bet my students would agree.

Hardships of returning

While I couldn't be happier to be back with some of my students and sharing my experiences with my fiance, family, and friends, I must admit that I'm making many adjustments.

Things are a little weird. I'm not sure why some of my students have chosen to react to my return the way that they have. As a veteran teacher of seven years I am more than realistic in accepting that not all of my students will love me; however, it is never easy for a teacher to swallow that any of her students hate or despise her.

I also wish that I felt more support from my school, but I need to be grateful for the strong support I have gotten from the female members of my team and my classroom neighbors. I realize that I am lucky to have developed such good friends and colleagues in the last few years at Northeast.

On top of all the negative, I have recently heard from two previous students. This is awesome, especially at a time when it's nice to know that some students who didn't always love me at the time, know that I had their best interests at heart when I worked with them.

Christmas break is a few short weeks away and I'm really enjoying adding a little bit of Japanese culture and activities to my lessons. Break will be a welcome relief to the stress of returning to a new time zone, parent conferences, and unhappy students.
I'm looking forward to coming back well-rested and geared up for the second semester.

I Lied. (this isn't my Japan site after all)

Ok, I do that sometimes, particularly when I think I know what I'm talking about and discover I'm wrong. This web site is one of those cases.

About two weeks before leaving for Japan I started this site, then I went back to it and couldn't remember the address or the password, so I set up another one. Obviously not this one! I hadn't gone into it until now, I'm happily sitting on my couch recovering from some serious jet lag. I am supposed to be sleeping, right?

Soo, visit the other site to read more about Japan. I think I'll keep this one to update family and friends about fun trips and weekends away?! Or even the wedding, maybe...

Two weeks to go

I'm beginning the real behind-the-scenes portion of my trip! I've been selected to tour Japan through the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund, a scholarship I applied for last year, and I leave in two weeks.

Today I began working with Skype to have my family, friends, and students videoconference with me while I'm gone! Now I'm setting up a series of blogs so they can track my progress even when I'm not online. Wish me luck!