Amanda's+comment

Resources might be specific texts, games, a web page, a prop or a film. Tell us WHAT your resource is, WHY you would take it and HOW you would use it.** The resource that I have chosen is a book named '**//Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration//**' by Barrie Bennet and Carol Rolheiser. (Here is a preview of several chapters of the book: http://www.beyondmonet.ca/ch3_1.html)
 * Q: If you were hired today to teach in a school somewhere in the GTA, tell me about one or two (Max) resources that you would take with you to help you survive that first year.

I found this book very useful because it has listed different types of teaching strategies and how it could applied in different classroom situation. It also provides lesson plans after the description of the teaching strategy. Beside teaching English, it is also helpful in teaching other subjects.

I will apply some of the teaching strategies in my classes and modify the content of teaching according to different classes and students' ability. I tried applying 'Inside and Outside Circle' in another education course, and I have changed the way students get into the circle by getting a card showing their stance (inside or outside circle) and the position (1-7).

Another book is '**The Art of Learning to Teach: Pre-service Teacher Narratives'** written by Mary Beattie (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto)/

It includes several narratives of experienced teachers sharing their pre-service teaching and learning experiences. They also share their view on how effective teaching and learning take place in the classroom when they were having their practicum. The book suggests new teachers to keep journals in order to learn from our own mistakes.

I will try to keep a log book for myself to see what I can do better in my class in order to achieve effective teaching and learning.