The thing about teachers is that we can't help but teach. Nothing we learn can be kept to ourselves! We spent many years learning our content, and we are excited about it and love having the opportunity to share it with our students. Learn a parenting tip? Blab it to all the parents you know--and don't let the fact that you aren't yet a parent stop you! See a great movie? Tell everyone you know what you loved about it. Heard about a great movie? Tell everyone you know to go see it. Learn a new trick for saving money buying wine school supplies? Email it, text it, Tweet it...share that tip 'til you're blue in the face!
Many of us have invested much time and energy into learning how to become more effective teachers, and we are excited about what we have learned and the results that we have seen in our classes. We can't wait to share what we are learning and doing with other teachers in our spheres and beyond: but how?
If you have ever found yourself wanting to grow as a teacher-leader or to know how to effectively train other teachers, you must take advantage of this opportunity:
WHO: Facilitated by Kirstin Plante of TPRS Academy in the Netherlands and Anny Ewing of Altamira Language Learning in PA
WHAT: A collegial retreat to explore the underlying principles of our CI teaching and apply them to training others; to share ideas for training other language teachers in the joys and strategies of teaching with comprehensible input.
WHERE: On the coast of Rhode Island.
WHEN: Sunday-Thursday, June 24-28
The 5-day course provides a shared core experience and guides each of us to develop a model for building and strengthening our community of CI colleagues as well as designing or enhancing our own training program. Many of us have been trained as TPRS coaches, others are experienced presenters on TPRS and TCI strategies, some are already active teacher trainers, some have been working within our schools and districts to bring colleagues on board, and some would like to do so. All will benefit and all can contribute to this week of shared insight, reflection, practice, and planning.
Feedback from last year’s training:
I went last year and it was INCREDIBLE!!!!! Highly recommended!!! Not only does it teach you to train other teachers, but makes you really look into your own practice as well, and makes YOU a better teacher! Thank you Anny and Kirstin!!!! I *LOVED* it! — MB from Maine[Designing our own teacher training activity with a partner was] very useful. It works on two levels. It forces us to really examine how to create the micro steps/ micro skills that will be useful to teachers. It also mirrors how carefully we need to break down our teaching for our students. — Carla from Illinois[Experiencing part of the teacher training in the role of a teacher trainee] "... was helpful. I don't know for sure that I'm ready to run my own training, but it was helpful to see and think about how it might work. It still made me think and reflect on just how many things are involved in what we do. It is sometimes hard for those of us who have been doing this for a while to remember what it is like for a teacher that is new to the method." — Susan from OhioYou have given me the tools and mindset to design MY workshop and copying what you did. Knowing [Kirstin] and Anny´s experiences make me think about what I want to do now in my professional life. — Hélène from Mallorca
This summer’s Trainer Prep course again takes place in a magical New England setting, where we’ll have the run of Altamira, a gracious summer house overlooking Narragansett Bay, for five days and nights. There will be plenty of space and time for structured collaboration during the day with breaks to enjoy the breeze on the porch or walk to the nearby beach for a swim. Evenings will be semi-planned, with some left open for impromptu exchange on topics of interest, practice and coaching, and free-flowing discussion and reflection on the day’s learning. The house sleeps up to 20 people, mostly in double rooms, and has a large kitchen and dining room where we can prepare and eat meals together if we want. There are also a number of restaurants and other entertainment in the village of Jamestown and across the bridge in historic Newport.
The registration fee of $900 covers the course, full access to the house and nearby beach, and five nights lodging at Altamira. BYO windsurfer, kayak, yoga mat, bicycle, running shoes, or paddle board. :-)
If you live close enough to commute, the day rate is $650.
Click here for details and application. Apply by April 1st, 2018. Payment due by May 1, 2018.
