Laura

Teachers of Valencia!

On my teaching timetable a strange acronym ‘CEFIRE ‘appears in my evening slots. What is this I keep asking? The answers I get make it no clearer for me. During our first planning meeting with Oana it starts to become less cloudy. Even then I am unsure where I come in and how I can contribute.

Three weeks into the sessions my reservations have dissipated and it has developed into a worthwhile exercise. Thirty Spanish teachers whose subject is English, six teachers from the UK, one leader - Oana all convene at CEFIRE headquarters in Valencia. CEFIRE meaning Centre de Formacio Innovacio I Rescursos Educatius – Training Centre for Teachers in the Valencia region.

What have I learned? I have learned that despite English not being their first language the teachers are expected to instruct in certain subjects. This I find bizarre and wonder why on earth teachers need to teach in a language not their own. The idea is to improve the level of English in the education system. I have come across many people in my time who speak extremely good English as a second language, but to be able to teach in a second language is hard for the average person. I have nothing but admiration for these teachers. My French is good but I would struggle to teach in my field in French.

On a practical front I have acquired knowledge on a range of teaching medium: paper folding – Carmen’s lovely house but simple house which I am itching to use in a lesson – but none of my lessons have called for a house! Delivery of Grammar points and how to make the curriculum text book meaningful to students with various fun exercises. Technology – David the resident computer expert did something very whizzy with a smartphone and holding up bits of paper. The smartphone reads the shape depending on which way up the paper is and tally’s these results into a graph onto a laptop. I struggle with technology but I can see that this exercise will be so engaging to students that I need to find a way to incorporate this within a lesson.

What have I contributed? I hope I have made everyone feel welcome. I have facilitated in group discussions with Spanish teachers and am in awe of some of the teaching they have to do. Teach to underprivileged and special needs children, teach technology classes in English to people who don’t have a high command of English. I have presented a mock Cambridge exam to two unsuspecting teachers, who in my opinion did very well in the on-the-spot scenario.

What will I remember? The people and teaching methods which together make educating successful.