María Elena, Peru
Hello! I’m María Elena Mendoza, from Peru, and I’ve been teaching English for about 20 years. Over that time, witnessing how teaching and learning have evolved has been nothing short of an adventure. Think of it as a front-row seat to the world’s most unpredictable reality show – where technology constantly raises the stakes and teachers like me learn to adapt, often on the fly!
I’ve had the privilege of working for a distinguished Peruvian language school that’s been around for over 80 years. Yes, we’ve been teaching English since long before ‘googling it’ was even a concept. Over the years, the institution has provided us teachers with extensive professional development opportunities. From attending monthly training sessions to welcoming British experts who fly in for workshops, our learning never stops. And if that’s not enough, teachers like me even get sent to London and Oxford. Imagine casually name-dropping ‘Oh yes, I once did a course at Oxford’. No big deal, right?
The real challenge, however, came with the sudden switch to online teaching. Let’s just say that, before this, my familiarity with Office 365 was . . . let’s call it ‘basic’. I quickly realised that knowing how to use email wasn’t going to cut it. Enter Zoom: where we traded printed books for digital ones and where creating a ‘warm classroom atmosphere’ involved figuring out how to unmute yourself. And yes, it turns out, students notice when you’re still on mute.
In response to this brave new digital world, our institution launched a course on digital literacies, which transformed us into interactive teaching wizards – well, almost. Now, I can create engaging materials based on anything from podcasts to videos, giving me a newfound independence from the ever-reliable, yet occasionally bland textbook.
But the best part? seeing how students respond to these efforts. Their feedback keeps us on our toes and helps refine our approach. It’s like getting a standing ovation at the end of a lesson – though, thankfully, without the awkward Zoom lag! Finally, teaching is a fulfilling profession that not only allows us to share our knowledge but also keeps us continuously learning, ensuring personal and professional growth every step of the way.
