Eighth Installment – The Grand Finale
Monday got off to a good start with a visit from two of our former teacher participants who now do recruitment contact work for the Project. They spoke during the morning session regarding the importance of being willing to change their teaching methods from lecture based to activity based ones. During the afternoon session they gave several examples of how they modified the activities we presented to work with their classes of 45-50 students. They did an excellent job of answering practical questions and assuring the teachers that the methodology does work.
The last two groups presented their dramas – we were all entertained and everyone had a good time while practicing their English. We also started center work focused on vocabulary related to the human body. They used tape measures, played Simon Sez and Concentration, graphed their height and arm span, etc. With each activity we explained the theory behind it and the philosophy of how it should be used.
On Tues. and Wed. we TRIED to take the class to the computer lab for sessions on how to use the technology to enhance their teaching. Well it was a good idea, but somehow things didn’t work out. The first day we spent 10 minutes waiting for the lab to be unlocked and the next 20 minutes trying to figure out which terminals and monitors worked. The instructor never did show up so we filled in with some basic protocols and did some internet searches. The second day was better but again we had no instructor so we did our own ethics review and then worked on receiving and sending email messages.
One of the lessons is about letter writing, so each teacher wrote to the UNIVO University or to Delta Kappa Gamma which gives us our grant. The letters were not perfect, but the sentiment came from their hearts.
Another activity was each teacher writing a form poem about themselves that they then joined together like puzzle pieces. They really liked this idea. My job was to cut out the puzzle parts ahead of time. For the line about what they always wanted to be, one guy put “superman.” He’s sort of scrawny, so I can understand that thinking!
The teachers hijacked the rest of this afternoon to have a party for us. They went to a great deal of work to learn a song in English, gave speeches and gifts, and had pizza for us for lunch. It was very touching. As teachers, we rarely feel so appreciated.
The closing ceremony on Friday was incredible. We waited about 1/2 hour to get the auditorium unlocked and all of the university guests to arrive. My part in English was translated into Spanish by my Project translator for the benefit of the guests. The teachers each introduced their principal(s) and family members present. Again there was speech giving (mine was short J) and gift giving. Finally the teachers received their certificates and went down the long receiving line for congratulations. They were so pleased and we were so proud of them. I obviously wasn’t in charge of the ceremony as I thought, because they kept interjecting special activities they wanted to do, like sing “I Don’t Want to Say Goodbye for the Summer” with special words for us. After interminable rounds of photos, we had a very nice outdoor reception in the patio. We were sorry to have to say goodbye to this wonderful group of dedicated teachers.
This actually ends the travel journals for the 2006 workshop. Thank you for sharing the workshop with me. When I get hope I’ll work on uploading photos of the experience to share with you all.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Daphne
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