Teaching Matters: Explaining the concept of skill in relation to the workplace

“In business for yourself, not by yourself.” ~Ray Kroc (1902-1984), McDonald’s founder How do people get jobs in the United States? Internship season is almost upon us, and finding work is not always an easy thing – particularly in an uncertain economy. Many ESL students may be from countries where people are employed through families, political parties or...

Read More

Practicing Interview Skills, Staging a Mock Job Interview and Self Evaluation

Finding work is not always an easy thing, particularly in an uncertain economy such as that of the United States. But how does one get a job? Research, self-nomination, and persistence are common paths that lead to job interviews.  Our students, naturally, find the prospect of interviewing for a competitive job an intimidating prospect. We can reduce their justified anxiety by teaching a...

Read More

Changing Work Titles & Greater Equality

“Habits change into character.” ~Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE), Ancient Roman poet Which is correct: fireman or firefighter? The answer is both! But one has been gaining traction lately, along with many other gender-neutral terms for occupational titles. Here’s why: Many professions were traditionally only open to men. As women have gained greater rights and society has become more...

Read More

Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition Comes Out!

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” ~ John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th President of the U.S.   Are you a teacher looking for fresh tips to flip your classroom discussions? Do you ever wish the Teacher Edition of your textbook was more adaptable to your classroom needs? Chimayo Press, an...

Read More

English language learners should beware of saying ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’

Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a popular indie band, but “Yeah, yeah, yeah” is a problematic response to job interview questions. “In common use almost every word has many shades of meaning, and therefore needs to be interpreted by the context.” -Alfred Marshall (1842-1924), British economist Television personalities, celebrities, and basketball players often respond to questions...

Read More