On being asked to share my experience and reflect on my time as a student in the Teach and Learn program, I have tried to consider what I might offer that is of value to those reading this blog. Like… Read more It was our Introduction to Literary Analysis class in the spring of 2017, and we had to take Federico García Lorca’s famous Bodas de sangre and adapt it to make our own play. We had full power over the concept,… Read more Semana Santa has come and gone, and here we are again for our final rendition of the Instituto Franklin’s Survival Guide. Some of you have reached out to me on Facebook to ask me about getting adjusted to life here… Read more So your time abroad is nearing its end, and you’re trying your best to make the most of the last bit of time you have here before returning home and having to try to summarize the last several months to… Read more Día del libro is the best. Falling on April 23rd of each year, Día del libro represents a fascinating chorus of cultures and history. It also bridges leisure’s gap between spring break and Labor Day in Spain (May 1st). Though… Read more Building community in the classroom is rewarding for both you and your students. It is, however, difficult to do. Every class, no matter the subject, is different because it’s made up of different young individuals interacting together at different times… Read more Spring has sprung and after eight months I finally made it to the legendary bar Via Lactea last week to have a drink with a friend. I have to wonder what made me take so long to hit that famous… Read more Muy buenas, gentle readers. I’m tempted to change the opening for this blog to something more catchy…maybe a little more Gossip Girl-esque. But, despite their similarities, this is Madrid, not New York, and I´m a little more Javier Calvo than… Read more One of the characteristic differences you will notice during your first weeks in on of Madrid’s secondary or bachillerato classrooms is the noise. Indeed, there’s always somebody talking, and you may not be able get the culprits in your crosshairs… Read more Well, gentle readers, it´s that time again—your weekly update to your Instituto Franklin Survival Guide, guided by your gracious program leader and honorary sherpa, Jonathan. I honestly haven´t been having a good week so far, readers, but bad spells are… Read more
