09 ago 2017

by | in Career, Reflections about Education, Teacher Development

It’s clear to us by now that the role of the teacher has been changing dramatically. Gone are the days when the teacher was the source of all knowledge! In an age where students are bombarded with and have free access to information, the image of the teacher as a knowledge-transmitter seems outdated and out of place. However, does that mean that professionals are now exempt from pursuing development of their own knowledge? That hardly seems to be the case! Then, what should teachers be looking to develop,...

08 ago 2017

by | in Career

Sabe aquela insegurança horrível de não sentir firmeza no chão antes de dar qualquer próximo passo? Bom, eu passo por isso e entendo perfeitamente quem também está na mesma situação. Para tentar contornar essa insegurança eu passei a gostar da minha característica perfeccionista, porque isso me dava a ilusão de segurança necessária pra dar o próximo passo em qualquer coisa que eu fizesse. Mas...

05 ago 2017

by | in Career

Earlier this week Elaine Hodgson posted about the pros and cons of self-promotion, raising many important points. I was going to comment on the post, but realized my text got longer than the rules of politeness would allow, so here is my take on self-promotion in ELT, which, I must admit, echoes much of what Elaine has said. Teacher promotion is definitely something we need to discuss. I hear you, sis. This business of self- and peer-promotion in ELT has been bothering me a lot as of late, so...

02 ago 2017

by | in Career

A couple of months ago, talking to a dear friend and co-worker about future jobs prospects, I asked her one of those ‘why don’t you’ questions. Her reply was ‘I don’t have much time for promoting myself.’ Well, I know that is true when you have deadlines pressing on you. Then, on a different occasion, I asked somebody whose work is greatly admired and respected, in another ‘why don’t you’ style conversation and her reply was fairly similar: ‘I’m not good at promoting myself.’ Self-promoting has probably always...

30 jul 2017

by | in Career, ELT Management, Teacher Development

One of my favourite areas to research and study is feedback and the impact that the contribution of others have in teacher development. In this text I will focus on three different features feedback may take depending on tone, intention or professional relationship of those involved: affection, assertiveness and aggression. In general terms, Bill Gates helped us spread the idea that teachers need 'real feedback' to support them in growing and doing their jobs better, as opposed to having a vague comment on their work that will not contribute constructively, possibly causing...

26 jul 2017

by | in Career, Inclusive Teaching, Reflections about Education, Teacher Development

Much is discussed about students with special needs and how to deal with them. Very little is said about teachers who have some kind of special need. I am going to tell you all a quick story. My story. During most my school life, I was not a bad student, but I was not good either. I was, well, average.  I was excellent once, in elementary school to be precise. I have fond recollections of having after-school classes with undergrad students in the afternoon, twice or three times a...

30 jun 2017

by | in Career, Teacher Development

"A man's mind stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimensions." This quote, attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, illustrates what happens with the learning mind: it will not be the same it had been before the new opportunities to grow. The new ideas may also refer to developing knowledge and/ or skills that are not necessarily directly connected to our area of expertise. As teachers, we aim at helping our learners to broaden their horizons, embrace diversity, experience the world. What better way to change the world than to start by experimenting with our own learning? Teaching a foreign language gives...

11 maio 2017

by | in Career

It’s May. May I, then, talk about the elephant in the room? “Which one?” I hear you ask. Right you are, because for a profession that deals with communication and education, we seem to sweep quite a few things under the rug. This topic in particular is such a big lump on that rug that we could almost go rock climbing on it: teacher working conditions. Even if you narrow the topic down to teacher working conditions in language schools, the list of problems seems endless. All around Brazil you see...

08 maio 2017

by | in Career, ELT Management

Vou confessar uma coisa: odeio ir ao dentista. Nada contra a pessoa do dentista, o profissionalismo ou o consultório. É meio que irracional, como um medo inexplicável, mas eu realmente detesto ir ao dentista. Por isso, evito ao máximo fazê-lo – erro clássico e crítico. Rápida historinha real: usei aparelho fixo por vários anos por volta dos meus 20 de idade e após retirá-lo, fiquei apenas com uma contençãozinha atrás dos dentes frontais inferiores. Por ocasião dessa contenção, eu deveria ir ao dentista 2 vezes ao ano para uma limpeza, coisa que não...

30 abr 2017

by | in Career, ELT Management, Reflections about Education, Teacher Development

We have been discussing the importance of mindset and beliefs in education. The impact of the teachers' confidence that their learners can achieve higher, as well as their thoughts about their own teaching to influence learning outcomes. Focusing on teacher development, here are some tips of what teachers can do and how leaders - trainers or managers - can contribute to the teachers' growth mindset towards productive professional development that may benefit not only learners, but groups of teachers as well as the schools they work. From my point of view, even...