Teaching and Trekking

By Peace Corps Volunteer Laura Layton, Chiriquí, Panamá   Summer English Course Teachers (2019): Ashley, Ingris ,  Brianys ,  Laura (me),  Cristibelle , and Melanie In this article, I share resources and suggestions for how to organize your class to maximize student learning and engagement and lower your stress from planning.  Are you an English as a Second or Foreign Language teacher looking for ways to improve your class organization and increase student engagement? Do you find yourself overwhelmed with the task of lesson planning for your class? If so, you're in the right place. In this blog post, I'll provide you with valuable resources and practical suggestions to help you optimize your class organization for better student learning outcomes. By implementing these strategies, you'll not only reduce your stress levels but also attract more students to your class. So, let's dive in and discover how to take your English class to the next level! ...

Last year in Chiriqui, G78 Teaching English, Leadership and Life Skills (TELLS) volunteers planted the seed with the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) and Panama Bilingue to offer English workshops for teachers of the  multigrado  schools within the province. It wasn’t until their Close of Service (COS) that we were finally able to turn their idea into a reality. The goal? To provide such teachers with the tools to increase English instruction and usage in the  multigrado  classroom. Playing the traditional game of Telephone to practice listening and speaking skills in English In June, we offered a 5-hour workshop in each of 3 regions so that all multigrado teachers in Chiriqui had the ability to attend. Panama Bilingue and the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) staff took on the responsibility of setting dates, times, and locations, as well as sending out the invitations, encouraging participation, and maintaining attendance li...