"When teachers have a strong sense of professional community their morale is better and teacher commitment is higher. Professional community helps support teaching practices, and helps teachers address the uncertainty that accompanies nonroutine teaching of the sort encouraged by many school reform initiatives."
Adam Gamoran


It is often said that the most important asset of any enterprise is the talent and enthusiasm of its workforce. Education is no exception to this premise.
Being teachers such a vital element in the educational process, when designing policies aimed at getting better academic results, what policymakers must not forget is that teachers are no different from employees in the private sector. They want to succeed in their jobs and they demand the tools, the respect, and the sense of empowerment necessary to reach this goal.
As University of Washington scholar Dan Goldhaber stands, "It appears that the most important thing a school can do, is to provide its students with good teachers".
But teachers are known to improve when they analyze, evaluate, and experiment with colleagues in purposeful learning communities (Fullan, 2001). Fullan also suggests that the school level change strategy is developing professional learning community within schools and emphasize the importance of strong teacher community. Therefore, teachers need to be enabled and encouraged to establish a community of learners among themselves (Lave & Wegner, 1991). Maclaughlin and Talbert (2001) also indicated that a collaborative community of practice in which teachers share instructional resources and reflections in practice appear essential to their persistence and success in innovating classroom practices (p.22).
Building up organizations that are able to learn – according to Kofman and Senge- requires basic changes in the ways people think and interact. “The heart of the learning organizations are communities of commitment. Without communities of people genuinely committed to the organizations’ goals, there is no real change”.

ARTIGAS, URUGUAY

"Shapers" 2007: the net is officially born

"Shapers" 2007: the net is officially born

NEW MESSAGE. CHECK IT OUT!


domingo, 21 de febrero de 2010

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US?


URUTESOL is the Uruguayan Affiliate of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), a large non-profit association of ESL/EFL teachers, based in Alexandria, VA which has affiliates in 144 countries worldwide.
URUTESOL is also an associate of IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) based in Kent, UK. TESOL and IATEFL organize Conferences, Academies and Institutes annually. URUTESOL aims at bringing together all the English teachers of Uruguay from public as well as from private education and in this way raise the standards of our profession, fostering research in the area and promoting exchanges both at the national and the international level.
URUTESOL was founded in 1988. To date, our association has organized several Conventions, nationally and regionally, and many seminars in Montevideo and the provinces. The association has published newsletters and newssheets, welcoming contributions from all members.

(Source:http://www.urutesol.org)
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT  P.A.D.Beatriz Sendic, URUTESOL's representative in Artigas.
(077) 20323- Liceo 4

sábado, 20 de febrero de 2010





Source: US Embassy's site (http://uruguay.usembassy.gov/usaweb/2010/10-053ES.shtml)

viernes, 19 de febrero de 2010

FEBRUARY 9 TO 11: "FOR YOUR PADS ONLY" SUMMER CAMP


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 Three WONDERFUL days at the YMCA camp in Colonia  reflecting, learning,  bonding, sharing, daring to face our fears... and  HAVING FUN! A GREAT experience to be grateful for.
Thanks Vero, Shirl, Bonnie, Dan, and Ibirapita Recreaciones team, on behalf of all the PADS that  were lucky enough to be there.




Solidarity is not just a word.
Listen to what Jamie Fox has to say, enjoy the video, and please ... DO YOUR SHARE.


   After almost two months of silence ... WE'RE BACK! 
       Holidays are over and a new school term  full of activities, experience-sharing meetings and challenges is about to begin. GET READY!
        You'll be hearing from us soon.

                                                                   Beatriz.-