All posts by Martina Finnegan

From Day One to Year Ten


Written by - Martina Finnegan
TEACHER Think Bubble word cloud education concept on blackboard
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When I first started out as a teacher, I was terrified, as I’m sure anyone would be. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but the way I’d imagined the experience wasn’t exactly how it turned out to be. 

I’ve worked in after-school programs teaching English as a Second Language and I’ve been a substitute teacher, but when I got my first college teaching job, it was intimidating to say the least. I was going to teach adults in a more formal environment, and that word, “adults,” had always scared me because although I was a 22-year-old adult at the time, most of my students were older than I was! 

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Productivity Tips during Quarantine


Written by - Martina Finnegan
Daily routine. Work, family, balance, harmony.
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I’m sure what’s on everyone’s mind is this: When will this whole quarantine situation end?  How will things be afterwards?  And, will things actually return to normal?

It seems as though an endless period of time has passed during quarantine, and I sometimes have to check or be reminded what day it is. Weekends aren’t as exciting as they used to be because you can’t go anywhere, and worst of all, you can’t visit your loved ones and hug them.

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Being a Skillful Teacher


Written by - Martina Finnegan
Female teacher and big question mark vector isolated. Person confused. Professor ask question. School and education, professional occupation.
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What does being a skillful teacher mean to you? Is it the same as or similar to being a powerful teacher? Are there any expectations inherent in unravelling any difference between these two perceptions?

Stephen Brookfield, a scholar in adult education, is someone I look up to because his focus is on helping adults learn how to critically think about internalized ideologies.  He believes that we teach to change the world and that being a sincere and reflective educator can be complex but that we need to be aware of those complexities in order to learn and empower our students (Brookfield, 2015). I have always enjoyed learning about his perspective and determining how I can use it in my teaching techniques.

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Keeping Your Passion for Teaching Alive


Written by - Martina Finnegan
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Teaching techniques have been expanding and unfolding with ever-evolving paradigms that make the teaching profession demanding, and, at times, it can be difficult to maintain your passion for teaching. Drawing from my own experiences of teaching for the past ten years, I have compiled a list of ways to help you keep the passion in your teaching.

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The Top Five Ways to Support ESL Learners


Written by - Martina Finnegan
Teacher helping high school students with technology
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Do you feel uncomfortable when you visit a new place? I imagine how our students feel when they arrive to Canada. Not only are they here to learn English, but they’re also here to adapt to an unfamiliar culture.

Speaking from experience as a current ESL teacher and a former ESL learner, I thought I’d compile a short list of the top five ways that teachers can support their learners in their transition to help them adjust and become confident and effective learners.

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From an ESL Learner to a Teacher


Written by - Martina Finnegan
Conceptual hand writing showing Be With Those Who Help Your Being. Business photo text Surround yourself of motivating showing Color Graduation Hat with Tassel 3D Academic cap on Books.
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I came to Canada as an immigrant from Bosnia – a war-torn country – which, to this day, is difficult to return to when I want to visit family. Not only do I remember things no child should, but physical remnants remain at every corner of the country itself. My family was one of those that escaped with a random truck driver in hopes of getting out and not being denied entry into Croatia, which was safe.

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Critical Reflection in Action-based Approaches


Written by - Martina Finnegan
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The role of critical reflection is very important in action-based approaches to problem solving. Reflecting allows us, as researchers and educators, to think about what can be done after an observation of a particular method and how action can be taken to fix or alter the process of the method to make it more effective. “Being able to explain what you are doing and why you are doing it also enables you to be clear about its significance for your field, which is important when it comes to saying why your research should be believed and taken seriously by others, especially peers” (McNiff, 2011, p. 10).

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