Well, hasn’t this week been a week?
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As the end of our year in Japan draws to an end and we step closer to the big day of learning with #EEConQuest.

I am starting to get that uneasy feeling in my tummy; the feeling of excitement, nervousness, insecurity and suspense.

Let's explore it together....

Hi Hey Hello, 

How do we set up sustainable systems to retain teachers? 

This is a wee bit of a prelude to the next blog post focusing on this week's theme of Systems. 

The full blog post will be in this week's #EEEMagazine coming out on Friday with Guest Blogger David Lee. 
 
I wanted to do this intro post because we started Season 5 of Empathetic Educators this weekend with Karl C. Pupé (@actionheroteach). 

While preparing for this session, I was rereading his amazing book - The Action Hero Teacher. Such a great read! 

And while reading it, it sparked a connection in my brain after finishing Season 4 discussing School Systems and before continuing Season 5 focusing on Perspectives that I want to share with you.....

Bonjour, Hola, Halo!
This week we are jetting off and adding Europe to your passports! 

If you have missed it, we are on week three of a twelve week blog series where I am reflecting on the past 10years living away from my beautiful home of Derry, Ireland. 

We are looking into my learnings of traveling around the world and teaching in different countries. Then reflecting on how I might to apply this in future experiences. And I’m hoping that by sharing my process you might get some takeaways too :) 

Each week we are focusing on the 6 areas of the Empathetic Educators tree of life Growth, Relationships, Accountability, Systems and Perspectives. 

This week we will be looking at the theme of Accountability and sharing some resources I use to promote accountability with learners - children and/or adults.
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Let’s get ready to take off....
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Hi, hey, hello.
Welcome back to my #2021Inquiry where I am reflecting on my journey over the last 10 years teaching, learning and leading around the world. 

#NavigatingNaomi is all about experiences of navigating life and thinking of ways we can navigate together in the future. 

Over this 12 week blog series, I am taking you to a different part of the world each week and this week we are adding an American Stamp to your passport! 

We will be referring to the roots of the Empathetic Educators Tree of life Growth Relationships Accountability Challenge Systems and Perspectives. 

So, this week we will be looking at the theme of Relationships. 

Throughout my research, talking with teachers, learners and leaders around the world. Relationships is one of the key foundations that many refer to as something that can make or break successful learning experiences. 

Let’s see why this might be and share some possible ways to allow relationships to flourish in a variety of settings......

I love the feeling before a trip. 

​Watching the hustle and bustle of an airport lounge, seeing people say their hellos and their goodbyes.

The past year and a half has been a very challenging time for many with travel being off the cards for most but hopefully the clouds will start to clear soon and adventures can begin to resume once again. 

Where will you go? What will you do? 

For the past ten years, I have been living away from the Emerald Isle of Ireland and so for the next twelve weeks as part of my #2021inquiry.

I plan to make connections to my learnings from each place I have been lucky enough to have travelled to and how it links to my teaching, learning and leading so far. 

One of the questions I get asked the most is - how do I go about teaching/ living abroad? 
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So, I want to bring you on the adventure with me as I reflect on my time away from home and maybe give you some ideas of where you might want to travel next when things start to open back up.

​Starting with my beautiful home itself - Ireland.

Let’s begin.....

English?
How do I know what I know?
What even are words? 
Why is that spelt that way? 
What is the rule?

I have been going a wee bit crazy this year going deeper into English and how to teach it! 

During my time at school I was a Maths kid. I lovedddd algebraic equations! But give me  even a 30 min English session I use to walk as slow as possible with all the detours so I might miss even 1 minute of it.

I never would have thought looking back at those years that Literacy would go on to become one of my favourite subjects to teach. 

I have been on a 7 year journey, looking at ways to weave "21century skills" with the knowledge needed to read, comprehend and beyond.  

This year my class are 100% bilingual (EAL) and every day I am in awe of how they can hold two or more languages in their heads to navigate their world. 

Let's see where I am in my Literacy journey so far....