Please, don’t get me wrong. In a blog post I wrote about the trap of asking too many questions in the classroom, I make a point in avoiding the many questions we ask, mainly to our teens. However, I know that many educators are now questioning it because, in fact, inquiries in the classroom can […]
There has been great backchanneling on the 10th Education Fast Forward Conference. If you are interested in education, what is happening around and its future, don’t miss the latest posts and resources the educational community is sharing on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, G+ . Look for the hashtag #EFF10 #eff10 Tweets EFF10 on Facebook
Conferences are made of connections, gatherings, new acquaintances. The BrazTESOL International Conference in João Pessoa was no different, except that it was totally different for me. The premises of the Bilingual School Cidade Viva were amazing, with great infrastructure for an international event. The people working there had a special vibe, very solicitous always, and […]
The art of presenting is one that challenges us, educators. We are always finding ways to refine our skills, not only to make the classroom experience a more significant one, but also to share what we do and learn with others. One year ago exactly I wrote a post, Manifesto for Conference Presenters after attending […]
I’ve been following at a distance but with close interest the movement around rhizomatic learning and more recently what Dave Cormier and the gang have been up to in the MOOC #rhizome14 . I just wish my day had so many hours… No matter the fact that I haven’t been able to join the group, […]
Soon, we will have another BrazTESOL Brasilia seminar for the local educational community. The main topic of our seminar is “Teaching in a Brave New World”, which entices me to connect it to what I’ve been talking about in my presentations, the need for us, teachers, to explore new digital possibilities in the classroom without […]
Stay at the comfort of your home or keep yourself comfortable in your office, but don´t miss two great professional development opportunities that you can access from wherever you are in the world for free. October 12th – TESOL CALL-IS & IATEFL LEARING TECHNOLOGIES SIG Online Conference It starts at 2pm GMT / […]
As long as I keep seeing transformative and exciting examples of how technology can help the next generation of professionals acquire new skills in different areas, I’ll advocate its use. That’s exactly what happened with me some days ago. I was at the Apple Store with my kids, looking for the present my husband […]
Yesterday I was talking to a very experienced teacher who I know suffers from the same syndrome I do and most of the teachers out there do. The how-can-I-reach-teens syndrome. We all develop strategies, sometimes war strategies, we think and re-think ways that we could better engage our teens. The roller coaster is always […]
For years I’ve been training teachers and coaching them to integrate technology into the classroom. The changes I’ve seen around throughout those years vary from none to new, reinvigorated professionals. How does the move happen? Change will take many different shapes, from reframing an activity the teacher has already tried out to taking the […]
For some, I might seem confident and a bit tech-savvy.However, with teens it seems that I’m bond to failure. That’s how I feel so often. Teaching them is like a roller coaster. Yes, don’t get me wrong! Sometimes I fear I won’t reach them. Every time I prepare my classes I have the feeling that […]
Much have been told about the competencies and skills educators should develop to “survive” and thrive in a classroom nowadays. High on my list are some that should have always been there: >> developing listening skills>> practicing our empathy at all times, even when we feel like giving up>> preparing lessons that are brain-friendly, helping […]
I’ve always had a deep fascination for what was aesthetically beautiful for the eyes and pleasing for the mind. Design has always mattered for me, and it has guided me personally and professionally as a principle of good living an a people connector. I’ve always believed in its engagement power. And unconsciously I understood that […]
Many times we are trapped in our own routines, hectic lives and infinite tasks. It is hard sometimes even to breathe. Inertia takes over, and we see our personal and professional lives as if it were part of a film. I know there are many challenges around for teachers, and I could name a few […]
This video is a call. A call for reflection and action. I agree with much that it is said, but we need to find a balanced view to education. It is not just moving from a controlled, Prussian model of education to an utopian school. We can achieve student engagement, motivation and passion for learning […]
As I write these words, I’m listening to Yo Yo Ma, a well-known cellist, who never ceases to amaze me. First, I was totally taken by his music, empathy, charisma. I remember I used to teach using a book for advanced students who talked about Yo Yo Ma and his tribute to Sarajevo during the […]
Serendipity is one of the strengths of a hyperlinked world in which the network is always providing us with learning moments and reflective checkpoints. As I was browsing my wonderful Pinterest network, I came across, by chance, this clean, unpretentious blog http://thingsigrab.wordpress.com/, and I couldn’t help but start browsing it, scrolling down, with my eyes glued […]
. Diigo. The heart of social bookmarking is its power of a group making available their resources that were once saved on our computers for a very individual use. Now, in online spaces like Diigo, the information out there can be retrieved, mixed and remixed in the ways we need it when we need it. […]
Every educator, administrator, parent, professional should watch this. Great summary of our historical perspective, but, at the same time, giving perspective to what we do and should be doing. Now, it is up to us make the small shifts to change education. With you, Sir Ken Robinson:
I’ve just started reading a very pleasant book. Nothing new, but simply painfully true. Gary Vaynerchuck’s “Crush it” talks about being true to our DNA in the beginning of his book. For me, being true to our DNA is rescuing our roots and reminding ourselves what really makes it all worth it. I’ve been talking more […]