If you’re anything like me, deciding to take the big plunge to a new life overseas wasn’t easy. You probably had all these fears about what it would be like, along with the excitement of exploring a different part of… Read more Halloween Party Ideas It’s finally beginning to feel like autumn in Madrid. The air is cooler and the leaves are falling off the trees. The first month or two of teaching is finishing, and you’re finally getting into the swing… Read more So the school year has already started and you’ve been placed with the youngest learners: the 3, 4 and 5 year olds! Maybe you’ve had experience teaching this age group – or perhaps it’s your first time and you’re a… 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 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 Master Teach & Learn in Spain So, you want to come to Madrid, do you? Dying to escape the current administration, need a sabbatical, or just need a new direction? So, you submitted all your paperwork, got all your ducks… Read more
