Happy Blog Anniversary

I wanted to say Happy Anniversary to my Blog. I started blogging when I was pregnant of my second child. My first blog was called ESL and Technology. 

After finishing in January the EVO session Open webpublishing I decided to change that blog for My integrating Technology journey. This blog is a registry on how I “slowly” integrate technology in my daily teaching.

I would have never imagined I could have done so many things in such a short period of time. Technology has changed the way I teach and at the beginning it was a very bumpy ride because I felt resistance at school and in the companies where I teach.

Last month I was able to show my company students how to use blogs in our classes and since then they don´t want to have classes without the computer. Their comments:

• Classes are more dynamic
•  I´m a visual person and enjoy learning vocabulary through games
• Never thought it was fun learning with the computer
• Enjoy the idea to be able to work in my own pace and time

At school  I must thank my Principal Diana who has always shown great interest in this “New Teaching World”. You can read what we are doing in our classroom blog. Students are enjoying their classes and NY Global Youth Partners will be a great experience for them. We are at the point where I´m communicating a lot with my students after class.

I remember talking about this in a presentation I gave in 2004 but never thought that I was doing to apply it so quickly.

Blogging has allowed me to communicate differently with my students. I´m creating blogs for almost every class and can´t imagine teaching without them.

Peer Coaching Program

Microsoft and Fundación Evolución invited educational institutes to join Peer Coaching Program that began in 2006 and is totally FREE in 15 Argentine provinces.: Chubut, City of Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Mendoza, Missiones, Neuquén, Province of Buenos Aires, Rio Negro, Salta, Santa Fe, San Juan, San Luis and Santa Cruz.

Peer Coaching Program “is designed to help schools implement a professional development model that can enhance standards-based instruction by assisting teachers to offer students engaging, technology rich, learning activities.”

I was trained to become a teacher leader to serve as peer coaches for colleagues. As coaches, these teachers will assist their peers in identifying ways that technology can strengthen classroom curriculum and enhance their students’ academic achievement. They will also help their colleagues to develop the necessary technology skills and instructional strategies needed to integrate technology into teaching and learning.

I met a lot of different teachers from Argentina that are very enthusiastic in incorporating new technologies in their Institution. Take a look at the photo of all the particapants that attended this 8 day intensive training.