OE Team bonding in Nagoya

OE Team bonding
Originally uploaded by ijiwaru jimbo

Over the weekend I was asked to train a new group of Oral Examiners at Mejio University in Nagoya....and I was delighted to do so.

I think it is clear that everyone had a good time, and got on very well together, even though many were meeting each other for the first time on Saturday morning. By Sunday afternoon, organiser Naoki was confident that the ladies would catch him!

Training follows a fairly standard procedure, which I'll not bore you with again. I will say that I always enjoy listening to professional teachers applying their unique classroom experiences to the materials & videos. There is always something new to consider and to use positively, and generally of benefit to all present (not just for examining, but in terms of professional development).

These workshops are also very good settings for teachers to make new professional contacts. It is pretty easy after two days to figure out whose opinion you would like to have on certain issues, whose advice you trust etc. It is unusual for teachers to have this opportunity without having to make a presentation, and then the dynamic is quite different. Here, a sense of 'all in this together' is reassuring non-threatening, as everyone is learning something new and having to reappraise their own performances quickly.

I had a good weekend, then. Busy, hard-work, but very enjoyable. Well done attendees and thanks very much indeed for your patience and professional attitude. Look forward to seeing you in action in March.