Holistic Language Pedagogies Project Kicks Off Virtual Exchange
Today the Center for Professional Learning (CPL) at Childhood Education International kicked off a virtual educator exchange as part of its Holistic Language Pedagogies Project, which began in January. The project brings together 55 secondary and tertiary level language educators from 19 regions across Ukraine and from eight U.S. states to learn a variety of holistic pedagogical approaches as part of an active community of practice.
The virtual exchange is a two-and-a-half-week key component of the project, offering educators from Ukraine and the United States a chance to deepen their collaboration and continue their professional development.
Exploration, Engagement, and Wellbeing
During the exchange, participants will hear from experts, explore holistic pedagogies, engage in meaningful dialogues, share best practices, and continue to learn about self-care and student wellbeing. Educators will also contribute to a digital holistic pedagogies activities compendium – a resource for educators wishing to use more holistic practices in their own teaching – knowledge-sharing webinars, which they will share with the wider community in October.
The exchange encourages participants to engage in meaningful networking and on international and cross-national projects designed to serve their students in the upcoming academic year and beyond. The exchange promises to be an enriching and exciting experience, fostering professional growth and community connection.
Sessions During the Exchange
As part of the exchange, the CPL team looks forward to welcoming leaders and experts in a variety of fields, including:
SEL Presentation & Conversation with Erica Schumaker
Erica is an expert at addressing student’s needs in innovative and meaningful ways. She has experience working with students from diverse backgrounds as a School Counselor for K-12 schools.
Erica works at the intersection of student support, academic rigor, and social emotional learning. She holds credentials in school counseling and secondary English teaching and Masters degrees in Educational Counseling and English.
As a lifelong learner, Erica is still learning and is currently working on a doctorate from Boise State University in Educational Technology. She currently works as an Educational Change Agent at Learn21 and has experience working with educators to meet the needs of their learners, she is also a teacher and online course developer. Through her experiences as School Counselor and Student Services Manager in online and traditional formats, she worked with teachers to help them foster an encouraging and motivational environment for students with diverse learning needs.
Erica’s work has involved helping all learners feel like they belong while utilizing technology to build community and engagement. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her husband and dog, gardening, and exploring new places.
Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics with Ruslana Westerlund
Dr. Ruslana Westerlund is an accomplished educational consultant, researcher, and professor with over 25 years of experience. Her expertise lies in K-12 education, particularly for students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, referred to as Multilingual or English Learners in the United States.
Over the past decade, she has concentrated her efforts on supporting writing in various disciplines through the Teaching and Learning Cycle for Disciplinary Genres, a genre pedagogy rooted in Systemic Functional Linguistics. This approach emphasizes the importance of context and apprenticeship in teaching language in the service of learning.
Virtual Yoga Session with Nailya Weber
Nailya Weber has been teaching yoga since 2018, since she went through YogaFit Level 1 Foundation certification training.
She is currently teaching yoga at Wild Light Wellness in Grand Rapids, Ohio; Fort Meigs YMCA in Perrysburg, Ohio; Clara J’s TeaRoom in Maumee, Ohio; and Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Nailya teaches Hatha style Yoga. Being an immigrant and remembering her first yoga classes in English, Nailya tries to describe each step in every movement thoroughly to make sure every student understands what to do.
Technology in Language Teaching with Dr. Lin Phung
Dr. Linh Phung is a dedicated international educator, innovator, and leader with a proven track record of directing successful educational programs, fostering academic excellence, and driving innovation in language learning.
With Eduling, she leads a cross-functional team of IT developers, content developers, and designers in the development of Eduling Speak, an app that connects learners to talk in pairs based on 1000+ communicative tasks and games.
Ukrainian Monuments and Historical Restoration with Dr. Nataliia Tatsenko
Nataliia Tatsenko is a PhD in Germanic Languages, a Professor, and Head of Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics at Sumy State University in Ukraine.
She has 27 years of academic experience and is known for implementing innovative teaching methods to increase students’ engagement. Additionally, she is an expert at the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance of Ukraine, a member of International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign language (in Ukraine), and head of the NRFU grant project “Digital Archiving of Monuments as Objects of Public Memorialization for the Preservation of the Cultural Heritage of Ukraine.
Her research interests include cognitive linguistics, linguosynergetics, rhetoric, sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, and TEFL methods.
Navigating Times of Change with Dr. Zlata Gromova
Dr. Zlata Gromova is a PhD in Psychology, a Learning & Development consultant, and Ukrainian Learning & Development Community Board Member.
She recently led a community of educators and practical psychologists in the building of online courses to support Ukrainian early childhood educators through wartime.
Disability & Accessibility with Dayana Garcia
Dayana is the Chief Program Officer at Childhood Education International.
With a career dedicated to elevating the importance of early childhood care and education, she brings a wealth of experience in overseeing and managing education projects, contracts, and grants. Her leadership style emphasizes collaboration, holistic approaches, data-driven decision-making, and the use of innovative technological solutions to address complex education challenges.
Dayana is deeply passionate about early childhood development and inclusive education, advocating for quality and equitable services for all children and families worldwide. She earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Universidad Jose Maria Vargas in Caracas and her M.Ed. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Special Education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Open Discussion Coffee Hour with Dr. Luis Pentón-Herrera
Dr. Luis Javier Pentón Herrera is Professor at the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Poland, and the Coordinator of the Graduate TESOL Certificate at The George Washington University, United States. In addition, he is a Fulbright Specialist and an English Language Specialist with the U.S. Department of State.
Previously, he served as the 38th President of Maryland TESOL from 2018 to 2019, and earned the rank of Sergeant while serving in the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
His current research projects are situated at the intersection of identity, emotions, and well-being in language and literacy education, social-emotional learning (SEL), autoethnography and storytelling, and refugee education. His books can be found in Routledge, Springer, Brill/Sense, TESOL Press, and Rowman & Littlefield.
Originally from La Habana, Cuba, Luis enjoys creative writing, playing with his two doggies, Virgo and Maui, and running in his free time.
Networking Coffee Hour led by Julie Kasper
Julie Kasper has an M.A. in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is a National Board Certified Teacher in English as a New Language. She taught in K-12 and adult education classrooms for more than 16 years, the majority of that time in secondary ESL classrooms in New York City and Tucson, Arizona.
Julie served as Refugee School Coordinator for Tucson from 2014-2018 and joined the Center for Professional Learning (formerly Center for Learning in Practice) in the summer of 2018 to lead the Refugee Educator Academy initiative.
In addition, Julie is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership as a University Fellow at the University of Arizona.
The virtual exchange provides an opportunity for participants to engage in more than 40 hours of professional development. Following the exchange, participants will work on preparing their knowledge-sharing webinars. The project is set to conclude in November of 2024.