I’ve recently had a number of teachers ask me what English Forward looks like at other organizations. I have to admit, I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had the chance to visit classrooms to see it in action. So I turned to one of our local trainers (and star of the English Forward Lesson Flow videos), Karen Green. Karen is the Education Services Coordinator at Manos de Cristo in Austin. Karen asks all her new instructors (even those not new to teaching) to go through the English Forward training at some point during their first semester with Manos. Not only is this valuable to new teachers, but it also helps Karen to better support them because of their shared understanding of strategies and learning theory.
After the training, Karen’s volunteer instructors have the option to take part in a teaching practicum as well. As part of the practicum, teachers are placed in the classroom with an experienced lead teacher who uses the English Forward lesson flow and strategies. This gives new teachers the chance to see the strategies first-hand and try them out with students before taking on their own classroom. Over the course of the practicum, which can last one month or one semester, participants observe the lead teacher in action, assist with lesson planning, and help out during group work, which culminates with participants teaching part of a lesson.
Manos de Cristo students on an end-of-semester trip to the library with practicum lead teacher Julia Maffei (3rd from right), and practicum participants Ray Voith (2nd from left) and Claude London (far right)
Here’s what some of the participants had to say about how the practicum helped prepare them for the classroom:
*Seeing the teaching strategies put into practice is invaluable. Watching the interaction between instructor and students as different strategies are employed gives me a more meaningful understanding of how these strategies work and how students react to a successful strategy. Seeing theory put to practice by an experienced instructor is probably the most valuable part of this practicum.
*(I) Definitely (feel) more prepared. But not yet totally prepared. I sure would not have wanted to teach a class without having gone through the practicum.
*Before the practicum, my understanding of class composition was vague and one-sided.
*(I’ve gained) amazing respect for these adults and the motivation to succeed in this country.
*We are given constructive critiques and our questions are answered in real time. I was also able to overcome my anxieties because (the lead teacher) slowly eased us into teaching by ourselves.
*We are able to see what does and does not work and observe a variety of teaching methods and styles.
Are you interested in finding out more about Karen’s work at Manos de Cristo or starting up a practicum at your own organization? Contact Karen at kgreen@manosdecristo.org .
If you’d like to share what English Forward looks like at your program with the English Forward community, contact Dawn at dallen@willread.org.