ABOUT METWORK

 

The Metropolitan School of Panama believes that education should extend beyond the intellectual to include socially responsible attitudes through thoughtful and appropriate action to develop active and compassionate lifelong learners who understand the needs of the world that surround them.

What better way to teach our students these ideals than to practice them as teachers?

 

As teachers, and as lifelong learners, we believe we must be active not only in our school’s international community, but also with the local community of our host country. By inviting educators from local schools to attend teacher­s‐teaching‐teachers workshops, the MET can share its goal of promoting excellence in education with our Panamanian community.

 

Through these workshops the MET aims to develop its relationship with schools in the local community, as well as increase and share our knowledge of simple yet effective 21st century teaching techniques.

 

 

OBJECTIVES

 

• Share and exchange teaching ideas/practices with local ESL teachers

• Establish sustainable networks with local schools

• Demonstrate simple, effective teaching techniques and strategies in a collaborative setting

• Strengthen our own teaching practice through exchange

 

 

HISTORY

 

Since 2013 the MET has offered annual workshops to Panamanian teachers in the public sector in coordination with the Panamanian Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) to share teaching strategies and best practices, specifically in teaching English as a Second Language. These have been very successfull with an enrollment of:

 

• 2013: 40 teachers

• 2014: 42 teeachers

• 2015: 75 teachers

 

In 2015 the MET extends the METWork program to offer teachers the opportunity to shadow MET teachers for a week in order to observe at first hand, the implementation of the strategies shared during the workshops. In the first year alone, 44 teachers enrolled in this shadowing program.

 

 

WORKSHOPS

 

Each workshop begins with a short reception followed by a brief introductory session to discuss the agenda, expectations and objectives for the day. The attendees can choose among different workshops offered by MET teachers and invited guests. These workshops are interacive and demonstrate teaching and learning strategies implemented at the MET. In 2016 we will offer 3 sessions and 10 different workshops that attendees may select from.

 

Examples of workshop demonstrations could include: the way we use simple math manipulatives, different models for collaborative work, active learning experience ideas, visible thinking strategies, when and how to use open graphic organizers. These workshops will focus on simple, effective strategies for 21st century learning.

 

Each morning workshop will end with a wrap-up and reflection session during which participants will share and give feedback about their experiences of the day, as well as brainstom how they can apply these techniques in their own contexts.