1. Success Story
A Virtual Learning-to-Teach Experience:
A Mexican-American Distance Learning Teacher Training Program
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional/Georgia State University
Tere, born and raised in Mexico City, has been teaching for the
last 15 years. Her experiences as an English language teacher at
the high school and university level have opened her eyes to the
challenges her country’s educational system is facing. She fears
that learners are becoming less motivated to pursue higher
education, a situation that could have repercussions on the society
as a whole. As such, she believes that, given the increase in
Mexican students studying English, Mexico has a responsibility
in training professional English Language teachers.
In October 2008, Tere began participating in the distance-learning
TIES-Tutor training program, a partnership between Universidad
Pedagogica Nacional (UPN) and Georgia State University (GSU).
She is enjoying the process of learning the skills necessary to
train and work with teachers to ensure that younger generations see the
value in education and are given access to learn the English language.
To date, Tere has learned how to use technology and to train language
teachers, invaluable skills for teachers working at the secondary level
in Mexico. Finally, being part of this community has also given her
access to knowledge and further training opportunities. Tere has
applied to the M.A. program in Applied Linguistics offered by GSU,
where she knows she will obtain academic preparation and practical
experience to serve as faculty, master tutor, and trainer for the UPN on-
line specialization courses.
In addition to pedagogical knowledge, Tere has learned that
discipline, tolerance, and diplomacy are qualities that will help her
become a better language teacher and teacher trainer.
Tere, an experienced
language teacher, believes
that Mexico has the
responsibility to train
professional English
language teachers. Taking
distance-learning courses
is giving her skills
necessary to train and
work with teachers to
ensure that younger
generations see the value
in education.