MY CONTRIBUTIONS
One of the key ways in which we teaching assistance can contribute to the Auxiliar de Conversación programme is help pass on our accumulated knowledge and experience to future Auxiliares. To this end I am preparing a welcome/introduction pack for new teaching assistant at my colleges. Each pack will contain all the information that I myself had to seek out when I first arrived (simple campus plans, how to interpret the timetable, how to reach the school, role as Auxiliar etc, along with practical information on setting up life in Madrid). My hope is that, armed with this information, new teaching assistants will be able to find their feet and deliver great lessons as quickly as possible.
For a similar reason, I also participated as a speaker at an orientation day held by the Minister de Educación in October 2019.
In the classroom, I believe one of my greatest contributions has been in delivering a richness of materials, using my drawing skills and sense of humour to give each lesson a fresh, dynamic structure. Students have responded well to lessons that offer an unusual twist on repetitive textbook learning.
With some of the older/more mature adult learner classes (18+) I find there is more ownership of the education process and these students certainly appreciate a content-rich learning environment. Over the last month, I have been able to provide this by uploading key lesson content to my dropbox site and then providing a link to it via QR code and ‘TinyURL’ quick link. At the end of lessons, students can take a picture of this code (or write down the link) and access materials that can help them at home. For example a youtube video (created by me using PowerPoint’s slideshow recording tool) of a key grammatical point.
HIGHLIGHTS OF MY EXPERIENCE
My first three and a half months teaching in Madrid have truly rocketed by, but already I have had some great experiences and really developed my teaching skills. Among my highlights has been the opportunity to deliver a weekly English class to teaching staff. As these are optional ‘opt-in’ classes, it has been great to develop and adapt lessons to suit the group. As the learners are non-students, I have also been able to provide lesson follow-ups via email, recapping and clarifying what we covered in class and being available for questions and suggestions for future class. These classes have been by far the most enthusiastic and engaged that I have taught!
• results of the Christmas card workshop • creating mind maps with students • practising giving direction by moving a stick-on “mini-Pete” around a streetmap (designed by students on a wipe-clean roll of clear plastic)
Other highlights have come from lesson successes. By working hard on an engaging, interactive game (covering comparative and superlatives) I was able to get even the perennially phone-addicted class of 17-18 year old auto mechanics students to engage in class discussions on the various characteristics of their classmates.
• practising present simple using stick-up cards • group brainstorming specific training words with a sports science class
In the case of some of the more ‘reluctant’ English students, some particularly rewarding moments have come from getting involved in activities that happen outside my designated lessons. Accompanying the school to an educational musical event on issues surrounding ‘violencia de genero’, for example, students would attempt informal conversations with me in English. Similarly, during Christmas card creative workshop, students felt more comfortable making low-pressure smalltalk.
CONCLUSIONS / LOOKING AHEAD
Without doubt, my experience so far has been incredibly rewarding. In the months to come my aims are to continue to build my portfolio of teaching materials and to further experiment with Web 2.0 applications. My hope is to repeat my placement in Madrid in the 2020-21 academic year, and with this in mind I will be seeking ways to become an integrated and useful part of my colleges.
TEACHER PETE 