There and Back Again: Our Educational Journey with Hybrid Learning

Short abstract

The world of education was seriously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools were closed, new skills had to be developed overnight, and emergency remote learning became a reality. School of the Nations, in Brasília (Brazil) was no stranger to all the uncertainties that the world has brought upon all. We managed to successfully start online learning on the day after the city went on lockdown. Then, we were allowed to partially reopen the campus in September 2020 for hybrid instruction. In March, we were once again required to go back to distance for a short period of time before going back to hybrid. Phew! Now, in July 2021, we were able to offer face to face instruction again.

In this session, we'd like to share with you our journey, reflections, failures and successes in a Q&A format with active participation from the audience.

Panelists

Ms. Hannah Assante Lampert - Counselor (Early Childhood Education)

Mr. Pedro Romcy Porto - Learning Support Facilitator (Early Childhood Education)

Mr. Keith Ray - Elementary School Principal

Mr. David Esch - Middle School Principal

Mr. Kieran DeGroote - High School Principal

Mr. Henrick Oprea - Teaching and Learning Coordinator

Panelists' Bio Ms. Hannah Lampert - Counselor (Early Childhood)

Hannah is the Early Childhood Guidance Counselor at School of the Nations in Brasilia. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University Center of Brasília - UniCEUB (2019). While she was completing her degree, she spent a semester studying Psychology at Ewha Womans University, in Seoul, South Korea. She is currently taking a postgraduate course in Developmental and Learning Psychology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS). During college, between 2017-19, she was a Learning Support Team (EEAA) intern at the Federal District's public school system. Hannah started her journey at School of the Nations as a Guidance Counseling intern on the ECE campus. Since 2019, she has worked on the school-family bridge, aiming at the socio-emotional learning and development of students.

Hannah advocates the idea that all children can learn and, therefore, within the school, the best environment to achieve this success should be offered. She is certified by the Association for Positive Discipline (PDA) in "Positive Discipline for Early Childhood Educators" and in Child Protection (Level I and II) by the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC). She currently sits on the school's social-emotional curriculum improvement committee, an area of study and practice in which she is very interested.

Mr. Pedro Porto - Learning Support Facilitator (Early Childhood)

Pedro Porto is the current Learning Support Facilitator for Early Childhood students at School of the Nations as well as one of the Child Protection Leads. He has also previously served as the Early Childhood Counselor and Elementary Learning Support Facilitator. It is also worth mentioning that he began as a Classroom Monitor and After School Assistant at School of the Nations in 2008. Outside of education he also has experience working in hospitality and translation, having worked as an organizational staff member in some international events held in Brasilia, Brasil.

Pedro holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Special Education and a Master’s of Science degree in Instruction and Curriculum from Florida State University. He has an interest in Social Emotional Learning, Positive Discipline and the importance of meeting students’ individual needs in the classroom be them physiological, physical or emotional.

Mr. Keith Ray - Elementary School Principal

Keith Ray is currently the Elementary Principal School of the Nations in Brasilia, Brazil. Keith has worked in education for ten years including schools in the United States, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Brazil. Prior to his current position, Keith occupied a variety of positions in educational settings including English as an Additional Language Coordinator, WIDA Test Coordinator, EAL Summer Program Coordinator, Elementary School Teacher, Instructor, ESL Teacher, Technology Coach, and SUNY Site Coordinator.

Keith holds a B.A. and M.A. from Ohio University and a Post Master’s Principal Certificate and License in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Cincinnati. Keith has also earned a Post Graduate Certificate from the University of West Florida’s Educator Preparation Program and an M.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies: International Education through the State University of New York at Buffalo. Keith is entering his 4th year at School of the Nations.

Mr. David Esch - Middle School Principal

David Esch is the Middle School Principal at School of the Nations in Brasilia, Brazil.  David has worked in education for eighteen years in a variety of diverse settings including schools in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.

Prior to his current position, David served in a wide array of roles at all levels of K-12 education including Elementary Principal, Elementary Assistant Principal, K-8 Assistant Principal, High School College Counselor, Testing Coordinator, Data Facilitator, Educational Computer Program Coordinator and Instructor, Middle School Teacher, Elementary School Teacher, and ESL Teacher.

David holds a B.A. and a M.Ed. from the University of Notre Dame as well as a Post Master's Principal Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.  He is a licensed K-12 Principal in the United States.

Mr. Kieran DeGroote - High School Principal

Mr. De Groote is the High School Principal at School of the Nations in Brasilia, where he is now starting his 8th year. He has worked there as a teacher, Department Facilitator, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal, before taking on the Principalship. Mr. De Groote has previously worked in international schools in Brussels and Singapore.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, and Social Studies from Trinity College in Dublin, a Master’s in European Politics and Policies from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, in Belgium, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education. Before finding his passion in education, he worked for a clearing and settlement bank and in recruitment for an executive search company. He also held the position of advertising account manager for two national newspapers in Belgium. His experience in the corporate world has contributed significantly to preparing him for his current administrative role. He speaks English, Portuguese, French, and Dutch fluently.

Mr. Henrick Oprea - Teaching and Learning Coordinator

Henrick Oprea is the Teaching and Learning Coordinator at School of the Nations. He has also played the role of Brazilian Curriculum Coordinator and College Counselor at the school. Henrick has worked in Education since 1997 and has had several roles before joining School of the Nations. He has been a teacher, teacher educator, university professor, director of studies, and middle and high school principal. He was also the president of BRAZ-TESOL, the largest association of English teachers in Brazil.

Henrick holds a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Brasília, in Brazil, and a postgraduate degree in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language from the University of Birmingham, in the UK. He has a keen interest in cognitive sciences and co-hosts a podcast on Neuroscience in Education. He's also the father of two beautiful children.