***Currently Inactive***
The KOTESOL Holistic Education SIG, also known as the Science and Spirituality Special Interest Group (KSSSIG), explores the relationship between science and spirituality and how this can practically impact EFL/ESL education. Engaging in wide-range of pursuits such as research, meetings, discussions, presentations, and curricula development, we usually meet eight times a year in order to create opportunities for like-minded teachers to meet each other, to build community, and strengthen our psychological stability.
Some subjects we have explored in the past include an exploration of universal spiritual themes and how they might be applied to and augment our profession; the importance of emotional intelligence in teaching ESL with special emphasis on the inner qualities of teachers; the difference between spirituality and religion in education; multiple intelligences; using Nonviolent Communication (www.cnvc.org) in various levels of English lessons; meditation and prayer in the classroom; the effect of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey on storytelling; the role of shopping and materialism in contemporary curriculums; goal setting; the development of SAT vocabulary materials with more value-oriented stories, such as variations on Simon's Saga, by Philip Geer; the development of graded readers on the lives of lesser well-known spiritual leaders such as Peace Pilgrim (USA), Vinoba Behave (India) and Sister Chang Khong (Vietnam); balancing student and teacher-centered learning/teaching; discussions of social change issues, such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, among many others. Whatever your religion, beliefs, or background, there is space for you in our SIG.
If you like, please bring to our meetings an open-minded, scientific, curious, creative and imaginative attitude, as this might often be the food that nourishes our explorations. In addition to our monthly meetings, or if you can't attend but still want to participate, you can join our Google Group at http://groups.google.com/group/Spirituality-in-ESL-SIG.
We gather on the third Monday of every month from 7 to 9:30PM (except in Jan/Feb/Jun/Jul), meeting at Nambu Terminal Subway Station (Orange Line, Exit 3), and a ten minute walk. Email KSSSIG@gmail.com or call 010-3102-4343 for more info.
Facilitator: Greg W. Brooks-English
