Collaboration

Collaboration is a hot commodity in ELT at the moment. The dictionary definition is "working together to achieve a shared goal". I believe that in  ELT there isn’t one shared goal but many: motivating ourselves and motivating our students, reducing STT and increasing TTT, dealing with that student that refuses to ask to go the toilet in English, the list is endless. Nonetheless, no matter what the overall goal, collaboration is perhaps the most powerful resource that ELT teachers have. Even if you teach the same level with the same curriculum and using the same course book over and over for a long period of time, no two groups will ever be the same and perhaps one lesson plan that had students in fits of laughter, climbing over each other to speak will fall completely flat with another group. Thus being able to share and learn from a worldwide community in which you will almost certainly find someone who has been there, done that is invaluable.

Without a doubt, the internet is, as always, the biggest and most easily accessed resource for collaboration however for all its positive points the internet can sometimes feel a little impersonal. It was out of a desire to see and hear (and perhaps have some hands on practice) how other teachers implement new ideas and materials rather than just read and type about it that led me to sign up to the BRAZ-TESOL conference in Rio de Janeiro this July. In a fit of madness I also submitted an application to present a workshop. I say a fit of madness because I had never attended a conference or ever given a presentation or workshop before yet I thought it would be a brilliant idea to give one at my first ever national event! However, despite a few sleepless nights I can honestly say that it was not madness but in fact a very good decision. Meeting, talking and debating with other teachers who have similar experiences and objectives to myself  was both stimulating and thought provoking. As well as this there is no more rewarding feedback than positive feedback from peers.

Therefore my tip of the week: once in a while switch off the web and switch on to conferences!

(Keep reading the blog as a summary of my workshop will be available in the next post)