Of TXD: Teacher Experience Design

Education has changed.

A new trend in education has risen over the last few years: classrooms have become learner-centered; lessons are focused on the process of creating learning experiences, which should enable the learner to achieve the desired learning outcome in a human-centered and problem-solving environment. Learners are given a more empowering role in their own education: they have been given ownership of their learning.They have been fostered to unleash their creativity in a collaborative way; they have been given a space to think critically; they have been given a voice.

Empowered learners are motivated, confident, engaged, and ready to tackle whatever task they are given. We are preparing an entire generation of thinkers, makers, and go-getters. 

Have I forgotten anything...?

Of Circular Sharing

As teachers, we know the importance of sharing our experiences. Some of us have a blog - such as myself; some of us have a YouTube channer - many brave teachers like to record videos, which I myself don't; some of us belong to a Facebook Group related to teaching - if you are an English Language Teacher like me, I strongly recommend joining BRELT; some of us follow other teachers on Twitter, and in all of these cases we SHARE.

We describe our lessons, ideas, proud moments, doubts, frustrations, great and not-so great moments. We expose it all out there, with our community. And these spaces are also great for us to read about lessons, ideas, moments from each other; we can learn from other teachers.

But the thing is, are we really learning?

I came to doubt the efficiency of our sharing practice a few months ago. I was attending a conference where the plenary speaker was talking about the importance of developing 21st Century Skills in our classroom, by getting students to collaborate and learn from each other, communicate and think critically in a problem-solving environment, as opposed to a teacher-centered classroom with students sitting down making notes and nodding only.

I couldn't agree more; in fact, I know this shift to learner experience is a reality in most classrooms today. And that is thanks to us, teachers.

However, something bothered me deeply. Do we follow what we preach?

Of Halloween, the strange and the unusual

"I, myself, am strange and unusual."

And that was something I identified in myself at a very early age: when I was just a kid, and I watched the movie Beetlejuice for the first time, and I completely fell in love with it! I started dressing as Lidia, and I actually cut my hair like her, a memory that haunts me to this day because it was hideous (I didn't know back then that they have "people" to make her look beautiful; and I didn't have "people"). The movie is great: it is funny, colorful, fast-paced, full of action; Tim Burton at his best!

But that was in the late 80's, early 90's. Movies back then were much, much different than they are today. 

Of getting into the world of Comic Strips

Teaching teens is a great experience; one thing I really appreciate is that they are not yet adults, with formed opinions and preconceptions; but they are old enough to think for themselves.

However, treating teens as adults all the time can be tiring, on me and them. 

So, getting inspiration from the date we are celebrating (today is Children's Day in Brazil, and it happens to be a long weekend) I decided to have a new approach: I encouraged them to get in touch with their childish side!

How did I achieve it? Comic strips!

Of having ideas, and sharing them (CHECK THIS SITE!!!)

https://sites.google.com/view/inovacao-ou-recriacao/p%C3%A1gina-inicial

Of Alice in Educationland

Recently I was asked the following question: if there was a movie about your life, what would the name be?

I didn't even have to think for too long about it! I simply blurted out the name: "Alice in Educationland".

Of midtech, cultural misunderstandings and pronunciation

This week, I had another mishappening: a student said that she had traveled to the US, and while she was there, she went to a dinner party with her husband and some of his friends. During dinner, she decided to tell some stories about her kids, and she didn't understand the look of sheer shock on people when she said her kids were 'terrible'. She told me: "teacher, they are really terrible kids!" 

Of taking the next step

I have been learning quite a bit about EdTech in the last few... years? months? lives?

Well, anyway. Today I decided to take the next step.

Of technology, cardboard paper and Virtual Reality

Ever since I started this incredible journey into EdTech, one thing that has always intrigued me was Virtual Reality.

Actually, it started much earlier than that, because Virtual Reality is not new. When I was a kid, watching sci-fi movies such as "The Lawnmower Man" and "Back to the Future": whenever they showed VR, I was mesmerized! 

Never in a million years could I imagine then, that I would be one day getting familiar with this tool!

Of collaborative writing with teens

Recently, I have been working more on collaboration in my classrooms. It is not an easy task with teenagers. They can be so focused on themselves: their future university, their drama, their social life, at times they forget to really learn and get ready for real life, the one that will happen when school is out.

So to bring on collaboration in a motivating and exciting way, I used something which is part of their lives, constantly: their mobile phones.

The objective of the lesson was to write an argumentative essay using statistic facts, developing a compelling argument about living in big cities and the pros and cons of it. 

Boring!

How could I turn the task into something fun, cool, and most importantly, collaborative?

Of soccer as a cultural barrier breaker

Can we teach culture to teens?
Yes, we can! But, how?
All you need is a lesson plan, a great app and a passion in common. I chose to raise cultural awareness by discussing soccer, part of so many cultures.

I used the app from Cambridge, Cambridge English FC, available here: http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/games-social/cambridge-english-fc/

With this app, students can learn vocabulary and grammar by answering English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation questions to help their team pass the ball, get to the goal, shoot and score.


After playing, they are able to have a conversation about soccer with absolutely anyone in the world! They can learn about cultural differences and similarities, while having fun.

Of post-its: they can help you be a better person

I had a great class. 

It feels so great to say this. 

And my class really touched me in many ways: as a teacher, I felt proud and accomplished: they learned what they were supposed to.

As a human being, I felt like I made a difference.

Of bullying and resilience

There has been a recent avalanche of news related to bullying around me. Teachers, students, even my family; suddenly bullying is a big deal, and a serious issue.

Nothing new here: it has always happened and it has always been serious. But why are people all of a sudden aware of it?

Of headbangers, New York City and crochet

"I am The Headbanger Teacher."

Yesterday, I said that to my coordinator, who looked at me unsure on how to proceed. "What does that mean?"

This post is about how I became the Headbanger Teacher. And how 3 main passions in my life has lead me to become The Headbanger Teacher.

Of Amplifica! A video about my experiences

Amplifica took place in March.

But it feels like it was a million years ago!

Of adults, Google Classroom and Iron Maiden

Teaching adults is completely different than teaching teens. That much is obvious, right?

But I was having a hard time with one of my groups: they are all adults, and they are all really successful in their professional lives. 

So anything ordinary in the classroom, like a mistake or team-work, becomes such a big deal for them!  

Of the day I f*$% ed up

I believe every teacher has, once or twice in ther lifetime, planned the greatest lesson ever!
That one lesson they believe the students will leave their classroom ecstatic, saying how much they loved the class!

And you plan every detail: what I am teaching, my context, how I am going to deliver it, the exercises, the dynamics, the sitting chart, the deodorant you´ll wear that day, the media used to incentive my students to participate! Everything planned, every detail!

But then...

Of going from clueless to fearless to Google

I had no clue.

In terms of technology in class, I believed that the most I could do was allow my students to use their phones to search the meaning of a word or to search information on a certain topic.
Little by little, I started to find out what more I could do for my students.

Of "I am a teacher, and I hate school!"

So, I love studying. No news here, as I am a teacher and most teachers love to study. But here comes the weird part: I hate schools. I mean, I hate going to school! Sounds confusing? 

It is.

I work in a school. I love the environment of a school, the students gathered around, sitting and talking before a class starts, their curious eyes on me while I´m talking to them in the classroom, my classroom walls, all decorated with scenes from Alice in Wonderland - one of my favorite movies ever!

But when it comes to studying, I really hate schools!

Of tired students, comic books and Maker Space

Most of my students are teenagers, in their late teens. In that age when they start worrying about college, adult life and all things boring in life. And they feel so much pressure! From their school, with constant tests and mock tests and extra credits; from their parents, who want them to get into the best school ever in the universe; from their peers, who are trying to get into the same school as them.

So it comes to no surprise when they arrive in my classroom like zombies: barely awake, almost drooling, exhausted! 

And I know how important English is for their life, so I would like them to give me more than they do. How do I achieve that?