Itinerario Formativo SGLab (6 nov 2015)

After a welcoming reception at San Gregorio School (http://menesianosaguilar.net), introduction of the course and delivery of materials, all the participants were grouped so that we could visit some in-the-classroom real experiences.

My group and I entered the 5P Sciences class where the kids were working on their Mycology Project. We were said that the main aim of this project is to produce their own website. To fulfil their objective, the project goes through three phases:

• research: jigsaw > group of experts (stickers for roles are given at the time they start the activity) > concept map (popplet.com); 
• script: on their notebooks as rough copy > they upload their information following the guidelines given in the website (google-site)

                    START: "Hello, our names are ....

                    NUB:

                    - We are going to explain the differences among the five kingdoms in this video. ...

                    - The five kingdoms are ...

                    - Each kingdom has got different charactristics ..."

• video recording at www.screencast-o-matic.com

My impression: the kids are used to working cooperatively, to sharing information, to following guidelines, to speaking English, and, the most important, to helping each other when they are in difficulty.

The second experience we visited was the 5P Music Class. 

First of all, the teacher explained us that they use an app which helps them with the kids' behaviour by adding or taking away points on-line and live. It is very helpful for the kids too, since they can check whether their behaviour is being good or not at the time they are working.

The kids worked on a song and different tools were used (video with subtitles, thinking routine "a word - an idea - a sentence") through different stages :

• video watching 
• thinking routine: individual work
• thinking routine: checking the ideas they have shared 
• thinking routine: joining their ideas
• thinking routine: interpret, say what they think the idea in the song is.

My impression: the kids work in a very relaxing way concentrated and motivated. And so does the teacher!

After the break, all the teachers had the opportunity to share our reflections helped by another "thinking routine" - I see, I think, I wonder.

Group work:

A QR code Gymkhana enabled us to start our group reflection by following instructions given.

We reflected on different aspects:

1. What about coordination with our colleagues? 
2. Let's talk about Assessment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjyK_XI9YqI
3. The Classroom as a teamwork scenery. http://www.gestiopolis.com/aula-como-escenario-para-trabajar-en-equipo/
4. Teaching training http://fernandotrujillo.es/sobre-la-formacion-permanente-del-profesorado/
5. What about improving my teaching process? We recorded our own video.

Our expectations regarding SGLab: 

We'd like to join all innovating methodologies so as to motivate our students, by connecting with their emotions, by making them feel that we trust them, by making them feel sure of their learning process.

We're looking for a way to strengthen our knowledge, by learning from others, before bringing it to our classes.

Excitement, curiosity, effort and eagerness to learn new methodologies are our pillars.

I must say that the whole work done was really rewarding as respects my interests.

Why teaching?

I teach because it is what I like. I think that teaching is one of the best tools our society has to try to make things better. 

In the last decade, there has been a real revolution in the educational field. We have heard about new technologies, about new methodological approaches, Howard Gardner's Intelligences, ... facts which, for those whose only ambition is to reach the hearts and inspire younger students to model their brains, are changing our way of facing the daily task of teaching. 

Thanks to the opportunity of becoming a student when my schedule allows me so, I am learning these kind of "products" little by little which I bring to my classes and help me try to teach my students in a more motivating way by means of which they get widely involved in and aware of their own learning process.

As regards my education, I studied Germanic Philology at the University of Salamanca. 

Soon after I finished my studies, I realized I had no idea of how to become a "good" teacher, though I think I had some ideas of what a good teacher must not be. With a lot of effort and some courses I could start by testing myself in my classes. But being a good teacher requires more than that. Time is the answer; and time is what we, teachers, do not usually have. So, that's why courses like these help me improve as a teacher and, especially, motivate me and strengthen my self-confidence.

I am an English and Social Sciences as a non-linguistic subject teacher at San Juan Bautista - La Salle school corrales.lasalle.es in Los Corrales de Buelna.As time goes by, I'm trying to innovate in my classes, but, I must say, this is not an easy task for me. It really takes me long hours to work on a new idea to motivate my students' work. I need tools which help me improve this.

I prefer to work within a team, and I really do. I think teamwork is the only way for us, teachers, to fulfil our tasks with effectiveness and to bring confidence to our work. 

As refers evaluation, it's not easy either! I assess my students daily, I motivate them through the benefits of the daily work, the daily study, their interest shown in the subject. And I think it works!

I've chosen this photo because the drawing was made by a group of students on one of our wonderful visits to the Museo de Bellas Artes in Bilbao https://www.museobilbao.com  which, by the way, I recommend everybody!!!

The title of the blog, Teacher Ol, is because that's the way most of my students, especially older ones, call me.