#7 The world looks different from up here

"I've gone to my table to remember to look at things differently. The world looks different from up here "

Dead Poets Society.

As stated by Professor Keating in the film "Dead Poets Society", things are different if you look from another perspective. Sometimes, as teachers, we insist on follow everything is disclosed in the curriculum and we do not stop to think about the needs of our students and what they really want to learn.

As N.Maldonado says in his article "Rethinking classroom management", we have to stop and think what we teach and what we want our students to learn. For this, it is necessary for the teacher manages the classroom taking into account the three main areas that live  in the classroom and have to be linked to get meaningful learning: classroom organization, curriculum objectives and social values​​.

To get these three areas are related and complement each other, it is necessary that the student participates in classroom management. Their opinions and feelings are very important for the teacher to know where you need to improve management and that changes must carries out for the student to feel comfortable in your classroom.

As for classroom organization, N.Maldonado raises the idea that the class rules are developed by the student group because it is they who have to live every day with their peers. In this way, you create an atmosphere of respect and empathy among students who will get to know more and bind as a group. The teacher must also agree to these rules but should only supervise, at any time change, students are those who have spoken and it is they who have decided

Another example to resolve the issues of curriculum is, again, to give voice to the students. Students are eager to learn things. Why not ask them what they want to know and then try to relate it to a curricular topic? One idea that came to mind while reading this paragraph was asking a question each time you start a new topic:

What I want to know about the human body?

Once the teacher receives all student responses, can start organizing your classes as long as answer each of the questions from the students.

And finally, to social issues, one of the most difficult areas to work in the classroom and in real life, the teacher has to highlight the positive aspects of students rather than wasting time on the mistakes. What I mean is, if you tell a student who never learn to multiply, the student will believe it and never try. But, if you encourage try it, looking for other strategies to teach or get himself understood using a different methodology, the effort and the ability to overcome has to be assessed. If we value our students and believe in them, we will create a comfortable, friendly and warm classroom. Teachers are the mirrors where children watch, so it is in our hands to create a good atmosphere of companionship.

Clara ***

#6 The parents have the key

Hi :)!

Education is not just school work. Education is everywhere and at all times, on the street, on bus, in cinemas and at home.

There is a difference between educating and teaching. Educate means "Developing intellectual and moral faculties of a person" And also, "Teaching the good uses of civility and courtesy." Instead, teaching means: "Make someone to learn something."

From these definitions, we realize that the role of the teacher is to teach. Teach new knowledge, new words, to read and write. But at the same time, we also educate. We teach them to be respectful, tolerant, friendly and hardworking. Also, we encourage them to be themself and that they believe in themself. But it is not enough if they do not hear the same things at home.

Normally, and I speak from experience, my mother always wanted a school that had the same social values ​​ she followed to educate us in this big society. Each school has different and specific values ​​and ,it is for this reason that it is so hard to find the best school for your child, and even, to work as a professional. It is a very important decision and a pact that parents do with school. The pact should have an agreement where both parties are responsible for working together towards the same direction since both want the best for the child. Working together does not mean requesting the notes.

The parent's job is to worry about continuous learning process of their child, to assist them at all times and basically show interest in improving their child's learning. 

How do we involve parents? 

Parents have the key to the future success for their children

Using parent meetings with the teachers, communicating news and problems which occurred during the week, showing them what their children learns through crafts or letters written by the students and, the most important point, recognize the work done from home. There is nothing more recomfortable that your work is valued. The school must value both parents and students, without kids there is no school but without the involvement of parents we cannot achieve the goals of the school.

Clara ***

#5 Meeting individual needs

Hi everyone!

The idea of differentiating instruction is an approach to teaching that creates an active planning which can help us to see student differences in classrooms.

As the authors Peter Westwood and Wendy Arnold say in their article about Meeting individuals needs, students are different from each other.  Not everyone has the same abilities to learn and the same interests. Therefore, teachers need to know how to balance the differencies in the classroom without losing the goal: that students learn and make progress.

To achieve this goal, we have to be constantly changing. You have to think new learning activities where students learn while having fun, doing group works,  let students discover things through out their own researches and what is really important is to involve them in the class by making them the protagonists.

It is also necessary that the teacher always looks at the students learning process and where there is a problem and how it can be resolved in order to continue going forward with that students learning process. Do not leave anything on the road.

There is no book that bring together the different methodologies to improve your everyday classroom but thanks to technology, we have access to the experiences, views and thoughts of all those who are striving to get a school where every child learns in relation with his or her rhythm and skills. In the end, they learn by their own way.

Clara ***

#4 Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish

Hi everyone!


This week, I saw for the first time a speech that touched me and turn back my desire to always continue learning new things. It was thanks to a wonderful speech made by Steve Jobs, a great example of constant learning process and new creating thinking.
  In this speech, Steve talks about the importancy of teaching what is really need to know for the students in their every day life. He also says that it is important to spend more time teaching about things that the students really have an interest in and wants to know more about. At the end of the day, what interests them may be necessary for their future.

"can not connect the dots looking forward, only looking back can do. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in the future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will join will give you the confidence to follow your heart. This approach has never betrayed me, and has made a difference in my life. "

It also highlights the idea of ​​never giving up and always have confidence in yourself. That attitude should be more worked in schools. but the questions is How? We should stop paying attention to the mistakes and instead seek solutions in order to learn how to not do the same misstake next time. It is useless if you will correct the same exercise to a student three times. What you have to do is to sit down with the student and find out where she/he fails so that he/she realizes and fixes it for the next time.

"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Do not lose faith. Do not settle."

And the last advice Jobs offered, is to always be yourself. Know you and know what you really want to do. We are all different, we all have different interests and needs. Therefore, as teachers we need to know that each of our students is special. That each of them has something to teach and everyone can fight to achieve their goals. As teachers we need to encourage and support them to achieve their goals, we must believe in them. Part of his time is in our hands, so let's take the most of it.

"Your time is limited, so do not waste it living someone else's life. Do not let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And what is most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Somehow he already know what you really want to become. Everything else is secondary."

I love this speech. Thanks Steve Jobs.

Clara ***

#3 That's Halloween

Happy Halloween!

This Wednesday, I celebrated my first Halloween as an assistant professor at the college where I work. I was in the class of N2Y with children of four years. Throughout the week, the children had been singing different songs about Halloween, decorating their classrooms with drawings of skeletons and witches and had heard the book "Room on a Broom" by Julia Donaldson.

Children's audio book, "Room on a broom"

Each class had a crown of some fear. "My class" were called monsters in one eye. All children had left their uniform at home and instead they were wearing black dresses. The teachers also left out their uniforms and replaced them with black dresses decorated by cobwebs, bats and a witch's hat.

The whole school was decorated with drawings made of the ​​children of preschool and elementary. High school students went to elementary classes to explain stories they had written about halloween and the primary students accompanied the pre-school children to do the "trick and treat" to students of secondary students.

The traditions and festivals is a good opportunity to weave links between younger students and older. In this way, you create a family atmosphere and a cozy place where all students feel valued,  for example when the older students explains stories to the younger ones.  Furthermore, the fact that the school is decorated with the drawings done by the students means how much value we put on their work and give them the chance to show their work for the whole school. Many times these small gestures are more satisfactory for the students than a high mark.

For us as teachers it is also a great time when we are having different activities such as Halloween, out of the normal activities day by day. As a teacher we have an obligation to make our students enjoying their daily school and in order to do this, we also need to enjoy our daily work.

Clara ***