By Kimine Mayuzumi In the journey of life, we often stumble upon precious gems that shape our perspectives and guide us through the stormy landscapes. Today, I’d like to share with you one such gem. It’s a simple stone with a profound message, and the story behind it. It’s my hope that this message will resonate with those of you facing tough times and provide a source of inspiration, as it did for me. The…
By Kimine Mayuzumi Ichigo ichie (一期一会 ), the Japanese proverb that translates to “one encounter at a (life) time” – is more than just a saying; it’s a philosophy that teaches us to cherish the uniqueness of each and every moment. This principle is especially important in the context of Japanese tea ceremonies, where the procedure is rigid and complicated. However, the true essence of the ceremony lies in focusing on the unique quality…
By Kimine Mayuzumi Life transitions are inevitable in human life. They may include career shifts, relocation for work and/or living, major changes of physical/mental status, loss of income, and loss of a relationship or a family member. Because of the pandemic and what it brought, it may be accurate to say that everyone experienced some level of transition recently. We were forced to adapt to the situation and learn a completely new way of living…
By M’Balia Thomas I am a teacher educator within the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Each spring semester, I teach a TESOL methods course required by our Department. The course is designed to prepare preservice teachers (undergraduate education majors) to work with learners of English as an Additional Language. While my Department offers multiple TESOL classes for our students, most will have time and money to take only one such…
By Ching-In Chen When I hurt, I work. When I feel undermined or disrespected, I channel those feelings into more work, as if producing more could earn others’ respect. I place an impossible expectation on myself — to be a perfect teacher (making no mistakes!), perfect writer (no typos or underthought phrases!) and perfect community member (missing no community meetings or events!). When I first read Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun’s framework for the…
