I've seen lots of fantastic posts recently from teachers about the last year of teaching online and all the challenges it has thrown up. Freeed have dedicated March to being the anniversary of remote learning with lots of insightful articles and lesson ideas about teaching during the last year. So, as I settle down to [...]
It goes without saying that self-care and well-being have never been so important as in the last year. I marvel at the resilience of the teachers around me and above all the children who are coping so well with the seemingly endless challenges that are being thrown at them. But what is the real effect [...]
Little learners can be a big challenge online, but they also can provide the most rewarding lessons. Here are some of my reflections about teaching VYLs online, and what I consider the must-haves in an online VYL or YL lesson
As a new school year is about to kick-off, I've looked back at the last one and tried to make sense of how I feel about this year. A little shocked, a little numb, very relieved, proud of what I've achieved, regretful over what I got wrong, but overall, I'm left with a feeling of [...]
Now that the dust has settled, online teaching is fast becoming the new 'normal' for many of us and the knee-jerk emergency teaching measures are slowly being replaced by a renewed drive for ways of delivering quality lessons. One observation from the last two months of teaching online is that at times the digital platform [...]
Being a teacher means you have to expect the unexpected but I don't think any of us could have imagined what 2020 would entail. Coronavirus has pulled the rug from all of our feet; the devastating loss of lives, the fear and uncertainty, the financial repercussions, it's changed our lives forever. Living in Italy, the [...]
I still to this day remember the first time I stood before 15 pairs of eyes, a board marker in hand and the overbearing sense of foreboding that weighed down on my shoulders as they waited for me to teach them something. That nervous anticipation thankfully now feels very foreign and I barely bat an [...]
Why the only teaching voice you need is your own: an important point to remember if you are a developing teacher
Here in Europe, it’s that time again. The time when people start putting away their summer gear and turn their focus instead to the new academic year that’s on the horizon. And the new school year usually entails a new academic team in some capacity, whether it be teaching, managing or offering admin support. I've [...]
“There's just not enough time!” Ever said that? Funnily enough most ELT teachers have. Read my latest guest blog on elt.training here to find out what you can do about it and how you can gain both time and motivation to realise your goals.
Reflection is the most important part of personal develop and the only way to foster a growth mindset, as I’ve written about here and here. So it’s no surprise that I jumped at the chance for a 5 day CPD challenge, which ELT.training have been running on their Facebook page. But what have I learned? [...]
For many of us, the classroom is more than just a physical space, it is also a psychological construct where we have self-imposed strict rules of how to act, behave, conduct a lesson and respond to our learners. As we develop as teachers, I'm sure most of us will admit that we are guilty of [...]
Learning lessons from TEFL 