Because of Covid19, teachers of TINFA’s 12 partner schools have pivoted to learning online. This includes presenting model classes in front of their peers through Zoom and receiving feedback. This is one of the requirements for a teacher to graduate from the TINFA program.

Today, I assisted in three model classes from teachers of 6th grade from three different schools. During these classes, other teachers act as students during a 20min class. They then provide feedback on what worked well, and what could be improve in their peer’s performance.

I was quite impressed with the classes.

Maestra Elvira from school La Perla, focused on the subject of Values and the different types of values that drive one’s life (familiy, religion, culture, country, etc…). Elivra used a song found on YouTube, integrated with a Powerpoint presentation with self made drawings.

Maestra Guadalupe from school Calahuaché made a much needed model class on Spanish accents (grave, agudas, esdrújulas and sobresdrújulas). She dominated the subject very well and walked us through the logic of these accents in a mastery way. She used Powerpoint for her presentation, including an interactive session where she called out students to circle words with different accents.

Finally Maestra Ninette from school Las Marias, made a creative model class on the theme of Theater, starting her class with a play, in between two finger people, one of them being Coronavirus.

She then lectured on the different theaters in Guatemala and the different roles one can play in the theater world. She finished the class by having her students (us!) participate in an acting piece, moving, speaking and singing, all virtually.

The teachers feedback on each of these model classes was positive and constructive. It felt to me that we all left this meeting energized, with lots of tools to use and new ideas.