With a Special Guest...
Despite her multiple commitments, my daughter managed to learn a couple of Christmas songs and make some room in her busy schedule to sing to our students (she will be posting about that; don't miss it)
Teaching languages in our country, and more so in our city, has become increasingly difficult.
Language classes are expensive for the average Venezuelan, even if, when compared to other countries, they may be the cheapest ones. Technology is a limitation for us, now that the pandemic has forced the implementation of distance learning methods. Internet does not always work and it's probably the slowest of the world. Electricity is not guaranteed and not all students have smart phones or computers to use in their language learning process.
Printing materials is almost impossible now and that makes it very difficult for teachers and students to work in and out of the classroom. However, we have managed so far and continue looking for ways to diversify our academic offers and teaching methods.
At IFIE, we are still teaching mostly face-to-face classes, which for me, especially knowing this young generation of learners, their short attention spam, and the multiple distraction they are exposed to online, continues being the best way to learn a foreign language.
It was a tough taking-off year for the institute, but its academic director, Prof. Nadima Salmasi, has been a stubborn warrior who is betting all her marbles on this project and inspiring with her tenacity and dedication the faculty who have become part of this new family.
We do not have many students yet, but the few we have, are showing significant progress and they are enthusiastic about their learning with us.
Last weekend, we finished with all the Begginers courses for the year and had our get-together with faculty and staff.
It was a brief lunch with delicious Christmas dishes and the warmth of a bunch of dreamers who still think we can provide academic excellence amid so much mediocrity.
Even though I continue entertaining my plans of leaving the country for a better future for me and my family, for as long as I stay, I will always try to contribute my share to creating spaces where our youth can get some of what we got in the old good days.