Through the connections we are able to make with our students nowadays, the learning outcomes are totally unexpected. We keep questioning the kind of schools we want, the way learners digest the information, how they deal with their own learning, the educators we are/want to be…Learning nowadays can take learners/educators literally everywhere.
Flex StudentsSo, let me tell you about this little (or big!) learning experience. I taught a group of adult students in Brazil for one year and a half. I was supposed to be with them for only a period of 2 months, max 4 months. However, they kept asking the Coordination to have me as a teacher. The fact is that there are tons of fantastic teachers at the binational center I work for. So, why me if they could have a chance to have a different teaching styles, accents, learning experiences? They kept saying that they liked the things we did in class and OUT. Yes, out! Except that nowadays I don’t even consider it as out, but just part of the classroom. The walls are extended to the computer screen. Indeed, I kept an open channel for communication with them. One no, many! They could talk to me in Skype. And they did! The funny thing is that they always start the dialogue in English! They could reach me by mail, in Orkut. However, I guess that the main learning experience for them were the blog exchanges we had. The International Exchange was a special ongoing communication with Dennis Oliver’s students in Arizona.We read a book and discussed on the blog, we communicated with Cris Costa’s Petty Officers in Portugal, we interacted with Terry, an American living in Lybia, we discussed current news, we listened to music and talked about it. All through blogging, dialogue, conversations…
Karen and meHowever, my main curiosity was to know how this blogging experience would influence my students’ learning paths and I was not there anymore. Well, here I am in key West and this week I had some clues on my curious educator mind. Karen, one of my students, spent some time in the US and took some days to visit me. If we hadn’t had those bonds, connections, email exchanges, blogging, would she be comfortable to visit me? My guess is that it would mostly not occur at all. Then, while she was here she mentioned how she realized that she was using and understanding what we talked about in class. Certainly, metacognitive skills in use. I could see her attempts to get her messages across. Sometimes she would look at me for help, but then I said, “just do it, Karen! You can speak English!” And she did! She left Key West with the feeling that she could really communicate, she learned about the cultural aspects in relation to the language she was learning, and all because of our connections!
Karen and Kids …Another curious aspect while Karen was here. She asked my kids to help her with words and pronunciation in English. Six months ago, my kids didn’t know English at all, except for some words they learned at school. Now, they are teaching Karen not only about English, but also about American culture and their own kids’ life. Here, you see them showing her their new online pet, the Webkinz. But this is another story…
Wait for some Karen’s funny stories about misunderstandings in the next post!
Dear Carla, your story is very nice. You are a real writer. I love to read your stories here and there. They always are so informative and interesting as well as inspiring. Communicating with you makes feel close relations between people far away from each other. Thank you for inviting to explore BLOXI together. I hope to learn from you a lot and feel comfortable exploring new IT.
Hugs,
Nina Lyulkun
Dear Nina,
Thanks for the feedback. I guess what really inspires me are the connections and the people I have the pleasure to connect to. Every single day, I learn something new!
I hope to have great Bloxi Explorations with you and the girls!
Beijos,
Carla
Hi Carla! I love your new blog, especially the pictures! I hope to get to work soon on mine and continue sharing with you!
Hugs,
Mary
Dear Mary,
I’m sure this space will be an effective tool for our collaboration. I’ll post more pictures soon.
Beijos,
Carla
HI teacher Carla, how are you??? How is everything in Key West???
Actually I`m in New Zealand now, spending my holidays, having a lot of fun traveling around and meeting people. My English is going well, I can communicate and understand everything from anyone, what is so good. I`ve been traveling for about a month in the country and I`ve met people from all the world, but the only problem I had was with the accent of the New zelanders (don`t know if this is the correct word). They speak so fast and in the beginning I couldn`t understand anything, but now, that I`m going back, I realized that it became easier to understand.
I really think that the classes I had are helping a lot, some people told me that I had a very good english and that made me very proud of myself, I realized that 9 years at Thomas were very “worthy“. Now I`m going to keep in touch with some people to continue practicing and improving my writing that I don`t think is very good.
see you teacher, and it was good to “talk“ to you.
Matheus Beleza
Dear Matheus,
Fantastic news! It seems that you’re really using your English to explore the world! In the beginning of the year in the US, now in New Zealand?! I’m sure you’re learning a lot from these cultural experiences and am happy that I could contribute a tiny bit to that through our classes. I miss the gang a lot! Hopefully, when I come back to Brasilia we can have a conversation group again. But, then, if you had so much to say before, imagine now!
If you’re considering improving your writing, contact me again and I can give you some tips that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. Take care.
Have you already finished High School? How about College? And the boys? How are they doing?
Hoping to hear more from you.
Beijos,
Carla
Hi, Carla!!!
I’m very happy about your news. Wow! Karen went to Key West! It’s very nice.
I’m thinking about this surprise visit.
Carla, I saw your blog with pictures. I’d like to travel to another country but, now, it’s impossible. I have new job. I’m working at Jornal de Brasília as editor — in political/Brazil, in economy/foreign countries(Exterior) or in city (local). Depends of the day. I’m very happy because it’s a good job.But I have free time to work in another job, in the morning. I’m looking for this. I need to return to CTJ to the conversation course and to conclude my French course.
However, how I don’t have time and money to travel, I’ll connect to you, in your blog and I’ll take your suggestions to change my experience with another foreigner and to do comments about any thing to the blog, ok?
Thanks for all, Carla
I miss you and your classes
Daise
Hi, Carla!
Wow! Bloxi is really blooming!
I loved your story. This year I am having a similar experience with my TOEFL iBT course, for the first time! I can really feel the difference and so my students. Maybe I should write my first post here on “Explorations” about that.
More soon,
Carla R.
Dear Carla,
You are superpowerful here, and it would be wonderful to see your post here, too, so that we can keep a collaborative space to talk about, reflect upon our common interests in teaching and learning.
Eager to read more of your experience.
Beijos,
Carla
hi im trying to find a boy i met in vancouver on his holiday, matheus beleza from brazil and ive forgotten his email. does anyone have a way I could contact him please?
sorry i forgot to mention i think he is about 18 years old and im trying to firrst figure out if this is him so we can stay in contact. if anyone could help that would be great!