English class the best remote adventure ever

When buildings, factories, businesses, malls, and schools were closed and everyone was forced to be lockdown, with no hopes, and a lot of worries; kids, parents, teachers, and schools made up the best team ever and we opened a big door; “Remote classes”. 

There is nothing such us starting a new adventure; and we, the English class (Goyitos preschool) did it. We began with blindfolded eyes on Tuesday, March 17th; we realized we had to create a new methodology. We had to learn how to use apps, how to communicate with our students and explain why the world had made a stop, how to deal with parents and kids at the same time, and the most important aspect, how to learn together through a screen.

From the very beginning, we thought that a screen could be a disadvantage, we saw it as a huge wall among us, just because we were full of fear and we rejected the idea to change our classrooms with a screen, but then, little by little and step by step, this was our powerful ally and our best tool. Through these 14 inches rectangle, we could break down this barrier and share our homes, families, pets, bedrooms, moments, feelings, learning processes, and we started the real adventure; visiting imaginable and magic places around the world and outer space; we went to the farm, the zoo, deserts, lakes, under oceans, planets, constellations, black holes, we made trips on the seasons, camping nights, blanket forts, slumbers, picnics, movies at home, we explore our senses cooking delicious healthy breakfasts and funny and creative snacks, and we could be whoever we want trough role play: dinosaurs, insects, jungle animals, farmers, astronauts and all kind of professions, just in forty minutes session each.

English remote class was not only a foreign language class or a skill lesson. This class was a meaningful experience lived with the whole family. Our families were actively involved in each moment, activity, task, or project we planned. They became our colleagues, they were our eyes, our hands, and our support on each kid, now their students, and they made a real effort to understand what we wanted to do, how and why. These families opened their doors and let us know what their kids’ needs were, and we could develop real works of art, play, around their houses with each member of their families. We all experienced what a project-based learning means. 

In this year, everything has changed, resources, scenarios, teachers, and parents’ ideas about teaching. We change books for platforms. Blocks for pillows and shoes to create high towers. We changed notebooks for laptops, iPads, tablets, or mobile phones. Once more, this experience taught us that an open-minded and a large dose of creativity with no boundaries in the correct scenarios make learning and teaching have magnificent results.