Ed and Eli's workshops at school

28th to 30th March 2017

Edward Carlisle Hogshire and Elizabeth Hogshire spent 3 full days working with our teachers and children. 

Elizabeth is a graphic designer, children's yoga instructor and a nursery school teacher.

Edward is an English instructor at the United Arab Emirates University and a teacher trainer with the Abu Dhabi government schools. 

They live outside of Abu Dhabi. 

Impression of the school by Edward and Elizabeth:

 “We really enjoyed our experience at Gurukulam. The teachers and staff are amazing people who are collectively making a great impact on this community. We are looking forward to returning"

On the 28th  Ed worked with the 8 and 9 year olds, teaching them irregular past tense and with the 12th grade for a writing class. 

In addition, Edward worked with the English teachers and had a fruitful discussion about the need to activate background knowledge and how students should best record new vocabulary.

Elizabeth worked with the Kindergarten kids and teachers.

The 29th was a full day workshop by both Edward and Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth worked with half of the teachers while Edward worked with the other half. 

Elizabeth also discussed best practices and making organic playdough. 

While Elizabeth and the other half of the teachers were having a fun relaxing time making play dough Edward used a series of 3 videos, and Google Docs to introduce the idea of Content and and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). 

CLIL is a system used all over the world to help teachers teach language better.

 It is especially aimed at the content teachers and my main focus tomorrow will be on ways

 the non-English teachers can help the students with the new English vocabulary that their students encounter in their learning. 

The teachers finished the workshop by creating their own online vocabulary exercises that they can use with their current students.

On the 30th Ed continued his teaching of the 12th graders while Eli met again with the primary teachers and recorded a short video of the school in operation.

Click to see a video of the workshop by Elizabeth:
Workshop with the KG by Eli