Learning Teaching 2007

  Reflections on your first steps in teaching

Intro/Background

• On this page, we shared positive feedback on the presentations in class, as well as reflections on different aspects of the teaching process.

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 Team 02: Presentation on Maria Montessori

• Date: July 6, 2007
• Team members: Mariana Fernández, Lucía Girolimini and Gisela Petrini

1. I liked the way you started: clearly stating the aims of the lesson helps everyone involved get focused and understand expectations.
2. I certainly liked your efforts to apply ideas you were learning about to the teaching of your own lesson.
3. I absolutely LOVED the way you made the class work all throughout the lesson.
4. I admired your "courage" to decentre the lesson during the "games".
5. I liked your clearly organised handout, which is bound to be of use for all those attending when going over your lesson.
6. Your timing was simply PERFECT (congrats! that's really difficult for most teachers in our culture!)
7. I really liked your group cohesion. The three of you really looked like a team, always ready to support each other.
8. Gisela: I particularly liked your commitment to the task (especially during the planning stage). TEACHERS WHO SEE THEMSELVES AS ONGOING LEARNERS always have the chance to keep growing, and are a true example of lifelong learning.
9. Lucía G.: I liked the way you sounded: confident, in charge... A CONFIDENT TEACHER helps learners feel confident too!
10. Mariana: I liked your attempt at using the blackboard to check answers as the class carried out the task assigned. An effective use of techniques is one of the pillars on which EFFICIENT TEACHERS always rely!

Team 03: Presentation on Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

• Date: July 13, 2007
• Team members: Jonathan Bromberg, Laura Corrillo and Laura Funes

1. I liked your team spirit, which led us all to see 3 teachers collaborating, not just 3 individuals standing next to each other.
2. I LOVED your colourful posters, which highlighted the main points of your presentation and contributed to creating a warm environment.
3. I particularly appreciated the fact that you were ready well in time to start yoru presentation as scheduled.
4. I liked the fact you always checked tasks assigned with the class, making sure they were following.
5. I liked the way you used people's first names, involving them in the lesson and showing you were talking to each of them.
6. I liked the fact that you looked a little nervous, for it suggested you were aware of the challenge you were facing, and yet willing to go for it!
7. I certainly liked your choice of seating arrangement to help the class live a more "coherent" experience, and the fact that you clearly pointed this out towards the end of your lesson.
8. Laura C.: I liked your effort and commitment to the task.TEACHERS WHO ARE READY TO WORK HARD are bound to succeed!
9. Jonathan: I liked the way you adapted your plans to the needs of the class at the moment. TEACHERS WHO REMEMBER THEY'RE TEACHING PEOPLE, NOT A PLAN are focusing on what really matters.
10. Laura F.:I liked the way you asked questions of the class, trying to get them involved. SUCCESSFUL TEACHERS know "it takes two to teaching"    (follow this link if you don't know the expression "it takes two to tango", here used as a pun, but with a positive meaning)

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Team 04: Presentation on John Dewey

• Date: July 13, 2006
• Team members: Mariana Morini, Ma. Luz Russo and Lucía Verardo 

1. I liked your attitude towards planning as a process, and your attitude towards suggestions for improvement.
2. I was impressed by the fact that you kept enhancing your plan until the very last minute.
3. I really liked the fact that you gave your audience lots of opportunities for participation.
4. I especially liked the fact you were not afraid of silence, and allotted time for your class to think out answers to tasks before checking.
5. I liked your efforts to make class materials attractive to learners (e.g. by choosing colourful envelopes to hand out materials) .
6. I admired your resourcefulness at making use of alternative means to get in touch with me for feedback during planning (email, f2f discussions, SMS,  home and mobile phones; telephone conference!)
7. I liked the fact that you allowed your class to choose how to get grouped for some tasks.
8. Ma. Luz: I particularly liked the way you kept eye contact with the class as a whole, without focussing on any student in particular. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS work to make everyone feel part of the lesson, and body language is one of the best ways to convey this!
9. Lucía V.: I especially appreciated your readiness to devote some timet to discuss your plan with me on behalf of the group. TRUE EDUCATORS never forget they can only achieve their aims by joining others!
10. Mariana: I liked the way you kept trying to get your class involved, and the fact that your voice carried well. SUCCESSFUL TEACHERS know one of their roles is to grab their learners' attention.

Team 05: Presentation on Paolo Freire

• Date: July 20, 2007
• Team members: Adriana Ambrosio, Ayelén Frontán and Paula Schuchiero 

1. I really liked your intense use of visuals to support your speech all throughout the lesson.
2. I really liked your use of fonts, pictures and colours to make your visuals attractive.
3. I was certainly impressed by the way in which you equally shared roles in front of the class.
4. I liked the way each of you came up to support one another when you saw they were facing a challenge .
5. I liked the way you used your partner's first names to get them to participate.
6. I liked  the proportion between your talking time (TTT) and the time you gave the class speak (STT)
7. I liked the fact that you didn't force any student to take part, yet kept inviting them to join in!
8. Adriana:  I liked your commitment to the task, the seriousness and effort your presentation showed... That's all you need to become a GREAT TEACHER!
9. Ayelén: I liked the way you looked and sounded: confident, in charge, enjoying the moment... AN ENTHUSIASTIC TEACHER helps learners feel enthusiastic too!
10. Paula:  I thought your eliciting skills were just EXCELLENT, and you really managed to make the whole class an active part of your presentation.  SUPPORTIVE TEACHERS help their class feel they can learn, and are also more likely to get support from their learners in turn.

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 Team 06: Presentation on whole language

• Date: August 17, 2007
• Presenter: Romina Franco

1. I liked your perseverance to face challenges that cropped up during the "planning-before-the-lesson" stage.
2. I liked the way you reacted to suggestions for improvement, always open to comments and eager to try an alternative.
3. I liked noticing you seemed rather nervous as you got started. This suggested you took your assignment seriously, a clear indication that you understand how crucial careful preparation is in effective teaching.
4. I liked the fact you always asked participants to account for their answers.
5. I particularly appreciated your establishing links between presented contexts and what the class had been studying in other subjects.
6. I liked the clearly heading of your handout.  Helping our classes get organized is also part of our job!
7. I liked the fact that your voice carried clearly.
8. I liked the pace you kept during the whole lesson: you kept us all going, but not too fast!
9. I REALLY loved your choice of text for rounding off your lesson. HUMANISTIC TEACHERS know the trick lies in appealing to their learners' hearts as well as to their minds!
10. I was impressed by the way in which you presented this text to the class. Though economical enough to make its possible use in future classes economical, it showed us all how teachers can make materials memorable.

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Looking for older classes?

"LearningTeaching" - Class 2006

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Questions To Learn Teaching

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