Nihi Ta Fan Boka at Pakasaya Tayo!

 Come check out our delicious blog with recipes from our childhood to the places we’ve visited! 

Nihi Ta Fan Boka at Pakasaya Tayo (Let’s go eat and let’s enjoy!)

Final Farewell - Grace Claros

Thank you, Dr. Rivera, for this wonderful opportunity to be creative through technology. I enjoyed the first day with the read alouds at the public library with the kids even though I wasn’t physically there, I felt their excitement. I also enjoyed the time I had with my team creating this blog and deciding on what recipes to do. It was amazing to see our project come to fruition. The other group did a phenomenal job as well. High fives all around. I can’t wait to have another opportunity to have a class with you again, Dr. Rivera!

Blogs, Bonds, and Bright Beginnings

Together, we navigated every lesson and created meaningful ESL class blogs. Here’s to our final moment—and to countless new beginnings ahead!

Final Class Photo – Together We Learned, Together We Achieved, Aug. 30, 2025

Final Farewell Post- R-Lynn Tablan 8.30,25

I really enjoyed taking this class. It was a great refresher since my last Educational Technology course. I’ve learned so many new things, such as how to create a blog and how to incorporate it into my classroom.

I especially enjoyed working with my team, who brought so many wonderful ideas to the table. Our project went smoothly thanks to our teamwork. Being able to meet several times and practice our presentation also contributed to our success. Thank you, ladies—you are all amazing!

I also enjoyed the other groups’ online blog presentation. As I mentioned earlier, I love to eat and enjoy learning new recipes to try on my own. Thank you for sharing those delicious recipes—I can’t wait to try them!

Lastly, thank you, Dr. Rivera, for offering this class. It has truly helped me learn and grow as a professional. Your knowledge and expertise are deeply appreciated. Throughout the sessions, you shared your insights while also encouraging us to share our own, which made the learning experience even more meaningful.

Final Farewell Post: August 30, 2025 - Gerri Quitano

Thank you everyone for sharing such valuable information.   You've inspired me with your perseverance and many ideas.  The educational resources presented will undoubtedly benefit many who are searching for innovative ideas.  I look forward to meeting up with you in  Dr. Rivera's upcoming courses.   Thank you Dr. Rivera for your patience  and understanding by giving us enough time to collaborate and reflect on our weekly project progress.   Si Yu'os Ma'åse' yan Adios!

Final Farewell Post -Saloma-Magbitang

 Thank you so much to everyone in this class especially to Dr. Rivera.  You all really made this class fun a memorable.  This class has really gave new ideas I'm interested in trying to implement in my class.   The blog project was such a fun experience.  My group was amazing and it made the project fun and exciting.  We were able to learn a little about each other's backgrounds and culture.  This would be such a fun thing to do with the students in class.  I think I might make them do a video project with a dish from their own culture.  Thank you again for such an amazing experience.  Until we meet again!  안녕히 가요  (annyeonghi gaseyo)

Farewell Post: Mrs. Renee-Lynn Sanchez

 I just wanted to say this was such an amazing experience. I have never created a blog before and can add this to my technology skill set. I really enjoyed the presentation from the other group. Food has a special place in my heart. I loved working with my group members because everyone had something interesting to bring to our group. The way the class was structured allowed us time to really work together to perfect our final project. I look forward to taking more classes with Dr. Rivera and adding to my craft and knowledge. Thank you Dr. Rivera & Thank you to my fellow classmates. 

Final Good-bye Reflection 8/30/25 - J.Dela Cruz

 I had a wonderful experience with this course and sad to see it end. I hope to take more courses with you, Dr. Rivera. Your class was great. 

I feel more confident with the use of technology and creating a blog in my classroom. I enjoyed learning many new things, and especially enjoyed new recipes from other cultures. I can't wait to try them. 😍 

Have a great Labor Day weekend. 💕 Thank you Dr. Rivera for this opportunity. 

Farewell Post_ Amber Ritter-Cruz

This class was a fun experience with learning about new technology tools to be used in the classroom to help bridge the gap for ESL students, but also to make learning fun for everyone! Our final project was fun to do, so it didn't seem like "work"! I also appreciate the other group's project as a resource for our classrooms! Thanks for an engaging learning experience! See you in the next class! 

Together We Can Do Great Things

 

https://togetherwecandogreatthings671guam.blogspot.com/

Together we can do GREAT things..

https://togetherwecandogreatthings671guam.blogspot.com/ 

8/2 Reflection_Amber Ritter-Cruz

 In lieu of Saturdays class, our team collaborated about the direction of our blog to make sure we're all on the same page and that it's seamless between the different posts in our food blog. I took time to also make both meals and take pictures along the way. Saturday was a fun (and tasty) way to spend our class time!

August 23 Reflection- R. Tablan

 I really enjoyed working with my team.  We were able to finalize our presentation and go over it together.  When you have a great team that works together it makes everything go so smoothly.  Thank you to my AMAZING TEAM MEMBERS!!

August 23 reflection- G. Claros

 We used this week/weekend to try out our recipes and take photos of our progress. This was a great opportunity to ‘tweak’ our recipes and finalize the write ups before our final posting. This blog is looking really good and yummy. Can’t wait for you all to check it out!

Aug 23 Reflection Saloma-Magbitang

Spoke with my group members to finalize our blog.  We discussed the final recipes and decided how we should post them.  We also discussed if we should put additional items in our blog to help make our blog more fun and interesting.  I'm excited to see the final results!

August 23, 2025 Reflection: G. Quitano

 Today, I reviewed our blog site. It's informative and appealing. My group members are the best!  Renee-Lynn, Jaclyn and R-Lynn are so talented.   The theme "Together We Can Do Great Things " is such an enlightening message.   It highlights the importance of literacy being a universal focus.   There are many approaches to inspiring people of all ages - especially young children how to read, write, speak and listen.   Technology happens to be a tool that most students enjoy. By sharing ideas and communicating effectively, we can respect and appreciate each other. Together, we can definitely make a difference. 

August 23 Reflection -J. Dela Cruz

 It was great meeting with our group. We were able to discuss what needed to be done as we concluded our blog site as well as finalizing the next steps. Thank you team!❤️

AUGUST 23, 2025 R Sanchez

 Our team was able to go over the blog and ensure that all the links were working appropriately. We wanted to make sure that people could easily access all the resources that we decided to link on our Blog. We really appreciated the extra time that we had to ensure our Blog was exactly the way we wanted it to be. Lastly we discussed the structure of our presentation and which section each of us would showcase. 

August 16- G. Claros

Our team was able to create our own blog page. The blog name is awesomely appropriate. We also had the opportunity to finalize our recipes and start our drafts. We just need to do some finishing touches and add a little sparkle here and there. I’m really excited to showcase what we have worked on.

August 16 Blog Reflection by R. Tablan

 

My team is so awesome.  We worked together to finalize the flashcards and we also spent time working on our project.  I like how we were able to share many great ideas and how we were able to easily agree on which will be included in our project.  I look forward to meeting with them again this weekend to finalize everything.  

Aug 16 Blog Reflection

 It was great meeting with my team and getting to finalize what kind of blog we wanted to do and how we wanted it to look like.  We also discussed what kinds dishes we were going to do for our blog and how many we should each do.  I'm excited to see the outcome!

August 16 - Blog Reflection - J. Ocampo-Dela Cruz

It was great that our team met to discuss what we needed to do and to finalize the translation of the flashcards. Even though I used google translate for the Filippino flashcards. I had to verify the translation with my parents and surprisingly a few were not accurate. I love how our team collaboration is positive and how ideas help with the flow of our blog idea. Awesome job team! 

August 16 -Blog Post Renee Lynn Sanchez

This Saturday session we finalized the flashcard translations so that it could be uploaded to our Blog this week. We decided to upload each Flashcard as a separate post so that it would be easier for teachers who would like to use them to find them on the BLOG . When uploading the flashcards we also wanted to use the correlating flags as another method for making it easier to access. As a teacher ,I love to utilize resources that are quick , easy and simple. Lastly we decided to upload a blank flashcard template to make for teacher who want to add to their flashcard collection or use it as a resource. It was fun communicating via whatsapp and sharing our ideas and progress.

8/16 Ritter-Cruz Blog Reflection

 8/16 Blog Reflection 

In lieu of Saturday's class, I did some research on other recipe blogs to see their layout and the different styles of the various blogs. Our group finalized what recipes we will be including in our blog and any additional posts. I appreciate the time set aside for us to work on our projects!  

Aug 9 Reflection

 My biggest take away today was how it’s important to teach our students about diversity in the classroom and how it’s important to respect all cultures.  Yes, it starts at home, but we need to remember that not all home environments may be doing this. As teachers it’s important that we continue this or at least start it in the classroom so our students are aware and learn about diversity at an early age. 

Reflection- Grace Claros

I enjoyed today's discussion about the multicultural classroom as well as integrating. technology. I think both are very important in this day and age. My ESL classroom, I’d like to 

think, is a safe space for my English learners. I try to incorporate (as best as I can) the use of or reference to their native language and cultural aspects in my lessons in hopes that my students do not feel shy or embarrassed to share their stories with me. 

Picture 1: These are my beautifully diverse ESL students having completed one school year of the ESL program. 

As for technology in my classroom, I use it every day. I empower them to use laptops independently through writing and/or research amongst many other things.  

Picture 2: Using technology by reading online books on the website Epic Books 

GQ's Reflection on August 9, 2025 Session

 I enjoyed listening to the different perspectives about multicultural languages and learning.  I agree that technology is important because it can effectively impact and motivate students; however, they require constant guidance and monitoring. 

Reflection -8.9.25 J.Dela Cruz

Today was another great session. I learned many new things about incorporating multicultural diversity in the classroom (as well as at home)…like Dr Rivera had stated in class  “Parents are the first teachers!” 🤍 so when the child goes to school, teachers (like you and me) need to continue to educate our children on diversity and respect of other cultures. 😁

Class Photo - Aug. 9

Reflection R. Tablan

I really enjoyed today’s session. I agree that multicultural education is essential, and teaching young children about different cultures is especially important. As I mentioned earlier in class, our preschoolers are naturally innocent and accepting of one another. Introducing them to diverse cultures at this early age helps them understand and appreciate differences. This kind of early education fosters respect, empathy, and a foundation for inclusive thinking as they grow.

 REFECTION Renee-Lynn Sanchez

The takeaways I have from todays class session is the fact that technology is a tool for teaching students from diverse backgrounds. There are many possibilities when using technology especially when accessing content quickly and in real time. An example would be accessing online books from various cultures, researching translations for words, or even just finding unique facts and traits of a group to better understand classroom behaviors. It is essential as educators to be role models for demonstrating value and respect for all students from all backgrounds, because it is absorbed by all students in the classroom. As teachers if we take opportunities to celebrate and embrace students cultures the rest of the class will follow suit.

I also found this framework from the video that was shared to be very insightful. 

I really enjoyed todays session !

8/8/25 Ritter-Cruz Reflection

 The biggest take away from today was how powerful it is to include all cultures in the classroom. Like Grace said, we want our classrooms to be a safe space. Finding ways to incorporate different cultures into our lessons or daily instruction is crucial to helping those students feel seen and comfortable so that those basic needs are met and can focus on their lessons. 

Reflection of 8/2/25 Session

 I enjoyed today's session.   Participants appeared to be engaged as they responded to what they were viewing and hearing.  They were given the opportunity to contribute their thoughts and ideas.   Additionally, some of the stories were especially appropriate for this time of the year when students and teachers will be experiencing a new school year.   Ms. Diaz's story was very welcoming.  She had many encouraging messages to students that learning can indeed be fun.

Reflection by Grace Claros

 Hafa Adai! My name is Grace Claros. I am the ESL Coordinator/Teacher at Harry S Truman Elementary School in the beautiful village of Santa Rita where I reside. Today’s read loud activity in the library and online  was really fun. The stories were meaningful as they welcomed students back to the classroom. I really liked how we got to read along with the guest readers through the slideshows. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to hear the reader so it was a great addition. My favorite book today was “Pout, Pout Fish Goes to School” as our ESL students sometimes feel lost and out of place. 

Also, I am a very musical person so I love engaging my students with music. The ‘“Goodbye, Farewell” song from Disney’s Out of the Box is one of my personal favorites. I excitedly did the clap along with the video. This was a wonderful experience and I’m looking forward to the next one. 

Day One Reflection - Renee-Lynn Sanchez 

I really enjoyed todays session. This was my very first experience with something like this and I see the endless possibilities of using interactive read a louds in my classroom. I love the idea that guest readers can be invited to participate even if they do not live on Guam. I truly enjoyed the back to school themed books as they set the tone and excitement of starting a new school year. I felt that this session was so engaging and loved the little details like the prizes or even allowing parents to help the little ones ask questions so everyone is encouraged to participate. I am excited for the next class!  

Day 1-Reflection

 I really enjoyed our first class session.  It was nice seeing familiar faces as well as meeting new people.  I loved the stories that were shared by our star readers.  I like how they were not too long and they had really nice and colorful pictures.  The stories are age appropriate for my class and for my little preschoolers. 

Reflection - J. Ocampo-Dela Cruz

 This was an awesome experience today. I enjoyed how it was so engaging both on a face to face aspect as well as online. From a teacher's point of view the use of the slides during the read aloud was great. It makes it more life size for the students who are sitting in front of the reader. The students don't have to strain to look at a regular size book. I gathered so many ideas I can use in my class. Thank you for the experience.💕

First Day Fun Aug 2 Reflection

Hello!  My name is Estella Saloma-Magbitang.  I teach at Harry S. Truman Elementary School.  I really enjoyed our first day of class.  It was a learning experience for me as I was able to get new ideas that I can utilize in my classroom.  The books that were read aloud today were really amazing.  Many of which I never knew of before, but will be sure to use this year in my classroom.  Technology is an amazing tool when used correctly.  I hope to be able to acquire new skills through this course that will assist me in using technology in more fun ways in my classroom.

Using Class Blogs to Create Meaningful ESL Anthologies - Cohort II

Amber Ritter-Cruz Introduction

 Hafa adai! My name is Amber Ritter-Cruz. I’m from the beautiful village of Santa Rita! I am the Gifted and Talented Education teacher at Harry S. Truman Elementary School! This school year will be my 14th school year! My hobbies include spending quality time with my family and friends and traveling whenever possible!

I enjoyed the read alouds and informative videos. The books were timely, as students are heading back into the classroom and it gives them that extra boost of excitement or the ability to shake of the first day of school jitters. As I mentioned during our class, the local story about Maria's first day of school was my favorite part because it's important for children to see themselves in media and literacy. I look forward to the rest of our classes!