Teaching in public schools has always been a challenge and it will always be. Nowadays, speaking another language, specially English, has become a "must" . Our children and teenagers are the future of our society and the most well-educated they are, the best. Despite all the difficult issues in a counrty, I have always thought that education is the key for a better future. Only one IAPE teacher can teach 250 students every six months (my case) and share everything we have learnt with our colleagues of our institutions. All of us who have been part of a IAPE program can tell you how amazing this experience was, how this has changed our lives and how it has helped us a lot to improve our teaching skills and the wayto see the world. From my very personal opinion I can say that IAPE is the most wonderful, kind and inspiring "love chain" the world can have. We can see the real impact IAPE has on students' smiles. It is priceless to notice students' enthusiasm when learning, especially in those who used to think that it couldn't be possible to have high-quality English classes in public schools. Words are not enough to express how thankful I am to IAPE Fund and all sponsonrs for your help.
Currently, teachers of COLBAC in CDMX and I are working on coaching other teachers (200 aprox) to use the Rassia's Method and to teach from heart to heart also, students at COLBACH 13 are attendding to extra free English classes to learn the language more effectively. My commitment with IAPE it is not only for a few years, it is for the rest of my life.
Thank you IAPE Fund, thank you all.
From heart to heart...
Cintya Karina Sierra Camacho
TC USA Hanover Program 2016
Teacher at COLBACH 13 Xochimilco CDMX
I am Leslie Alvarado and I am from Aguascalientes, Mexico. I was selected to participate in the IAPE Teacher’s Collaborative USA in 2012. But as part of the State English Program Coordination, I had the opportunity to see the impact the IAPE program had in our teacher’s and Academic Advisors who were selected to participated in all of the IAPE programs since 2008. The English State Program in Aguascalientes added some of the Rassias® Techniques as part of the curriculum. I also had the opportunity to see how it impacted many students in Public Elementary Schools.
As a teacher, I can say that participating in this program has been like “fresh air to my lungs” thanks to the creativity John A. Rassias had to teach any foreign language and to share his knowledge with teachers all over the world, particularly in Mexico. It’s an exciting, interactive way to teach a language and most importantly students never have a dull moment in class.
What I also love about this experience is that it is a never ending program. There is always contact with the IAPE staff and peers from all states in Mexico. Through Follow-up workshops, Online IAPE Forum, conferences and e-mail teachers have the opportunity to continue growing, sharing experiences and continue learning from each other….it’s not just a two week program, it’s a lifetime event thanks to the opportunities Worldfund and Rassias Center create for teachers to meet personally and online.
I can’t imagine my professional and personal life with this life changing program. Thank you!
(The photo was taken at a workshop in Zacatecas were teachers from different cohorts lead the workshop).
After many years teaching English in Mexico (public education), I was part of the IAPE 2009. I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting AMAZING people: my IAPEañeros, Jim Citron, Helene Rassias-Miles, and Prof. John Rassias, all while learning a teaching methodology that helps students in their learning. This experience gave a new meaning to my loved profession! Thank you!
My story with IAPE for me represents a life changing experience. I was so lucky to be selected for this program in the summer of 2011, I really did not know what to expect. It was a difficult time of my life that I felt like I was not completely happy. My home state was a mess with lots of dangers and narco violence and my students were more convinced to join the narco than keep moving forward in Education. Honestly, I was hopeless.
Once we got to Hanover the IAPE team and the participants we all created a synergy.The program was so amazing and inspiring but the one who marked forever my heart and my soul was my dear Professor John Rassias. I shared with him my dream to become a researcher in education and he advise me to find a problem in society that inspire me such a passion and the road to follow will be clear.
I came back and my classes were the favorites of my students, his spirit was always there in each planning and each language session. After a few years I decided to follow my dream to become a researcher, after IAPE I had the luck to be invited to other universities around the world from Belgium to Osaka and nowadays I live in London, researching and developing language technology believing that the best way to teach and to help people is heart to heart like my dearest professor taught me. Although I don't teach in Mexico anymore, his philosophy lives in me while I help refugees, immigrants and fellow Mexican to adapt to this huge, scary and many times gentle city. I think he gave us the ram´s horn, there is no better way to describe what language teaching became for me after that amazing summer of 2011 "The long blasts of the ram’s horn will blow down barriers to communication and human understanding" Lots of love, IAPEÑERA Bri Aguirre,2011 generation.
There is nothing better than working to improve education in the public school K-12 system where the vast majority of young people study. One can see clearly the difference Worldfund programs make in the lives of Mexican and Brasilian teachers and principals, and in turn how these change makers impact the hearts and minds of their students and better prepare them for their future. Worldfund truly does inspire teachers and create leaders!
In just 14 years, Worldfund has become recognized in Mexico and Brazil as a leading change agent in public education -- changing paradigms, changing lives, and changing dreams.
Worldfund is a great NGO working to better education in Latin America! Training teachers and leaders in public schools (and not bringing them in from other countries!) is the gap Latin American education needs to fill, and Worldfund is doing a great job trying to close this gap! Thanks for everything you're doing Worldfund!