KATARZYNA PELC
EXPERT EDUCATOR
I am a motivated and experienced secondary school English Teacher and a life-long learner in the field of English methodologies and teaching pedagogies. As a teacher I try to follow the challenges of the modern world (such as the need to function in a global, online environment) and adapt my teaching and assessment methods accordingly to help my students acquire necessary knowledge and competences, with special stress on transversal ones. As a teacher trainer, I try to find new ways of implementing new methodologies and educational solutions at schools. To achieve these goals, I take part in international projects on blended learning (constructing online learning modules for blended and hybrid teaching) and assessing competences. I am an active member of international (often intercultural) organizations. I publish articles and I participate in conferences on project work, critical thinking, deep-learning techniques, interdisciplinary activities and different forms of assessment (formative assessment, student self-assessment, competence-based assessment). I have also co-written and co-supervised an online event (webinar and a tutoring FB group) on assessment without marks and making students the centre of the learning process for Polish state schoolteachers.
EXPERIENCE
III Secondary School of C. K. Norwid with Integration Branches in Kielce, Poland, English Teacher
Sep 2019-Current
Contributed to enriching the school’s educational offer by successfully implementing new teaching methods and forms of assessment. The first teacher in my school and region to abandon traditional marks and to introduce practice of formative assessment, with special stress on student self-assessment. Organized a lot of innovative events (e.g. interdisciplinary classes). Introduced and supervised the school in an EOG project “Connected Learning -implementing international and intercultural online student collaboration, focused on 21st century skills”. Introduced and still supervising the participation of our school in the national organization of "Budząca się szkoła", which strives to implement pedagogies based on good relations and the findings of neuroscience. Experimented with and used various digital tools to motivate students to learn and facilitate the learning process. Introduced our school into the AFS Intercultural Programs. Formed the AFS Poland new region-Kielecczyzna. Supervising the mobility of two Italian students. Published articles on the practical realization of legal regulations regarding assessment and teaching pro-innovative competences, also lectured about them at conferences for teachers. Organized many charity events engaging the student community.
IV Secondary School in Kielce, Poland, English Teacher
Sep 2002-Aug 2019
Chief tasks: continued training and practice of teaching for external exams. Acquired knowledge of the traditional pedagogies and forms of assessment. Acquired experience of teaching English and class management.
Numerous local language schools
Sep 2001-Sep 2015
EDUCATION AND RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS
University of Łódź, Department of English Studies, Łódź, Poland
May 2001 Master’s Degree in Postcolonial Literature
Cambridge University
Oral examiner at B2 First Certificate, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency levels.
Central Examination Board, Warsaw, Poland
Examiner for the 3 types of external exams (high school exit exam, primary school exit exam, secondary education bilingual school exit exam) )
European Federation for Intercultural Learning
Certified teacher trainer on transversal competences
AFS + for the Classroom/AFS Global
Global Up Educator
PROJECTS
1. School coordinator and participant of the EOG international project: “Connected Learning -implementing international and intercultural online student collaboration, focused on 21st century skills”. https://connectedlearning22.weebly.com/
2. Participant and teacher trainer of EU and Erasmus + project " Empowering Teacher for Automatic Recognition(ETAR) as a Teacher Trainer.
The ETAR project is the follow-up from the European Commission's 2020-2021 Expert Network for the improved recognition of learning outcomes of studying abroad during general secondary education. It aims at training teacher educators to, in turn empower teachers for the automatic recognition by providing them with knowledge of relevant transversal competences developed during students' motilities and appropriate competence-based assessment tools. The role of the teacher trainers is to adapt and deliver the Training Model at national level on the assessment of transversal competences for recipients in the trainers' cultural setting. The project also has the research part which results will be used as recommendations for The Ministry of Education with regards to facilitating the practice of individual student motilities.
3. Participant of “The Exchange Seminar: Innovation Station” Erasmus Plus project on behalf of Euro Clio in Holland.
AWARDS:
1. 2022 Award from the Polish Ministry of Education for Educational Innovation called “Norwidowski Start-Up Interdyscyplinarności” (interdisciplinary project) which I created and implemented in my school.
2. 2023 AFS Sir Cyril Taylor Award for Young Leaders for Project” The environmental impact of fast fashion.
Publications:
1. Article: “Assessing the educational achievements of educational achievements of a student
in the light of educational law educational law” SODMiN Kielce
2. Article: “Project method work and tasks interdisciplinary tasks performed with its
how to teach modern and effective pro-innovative competencies in school practice.”
3. Article: “Development of transversal competencies in high school students in the framework of combining formal and non-formal education (on the example of III LO.im. C. K. Norwid with Integrative Branches in Kielce.” in Toolbox of Non-Formal Education edited by Agata Świdzińska, Wyd. UMCS
4. Article: “Connected Learning on international cooperation of students” in JOwS.
Speeches and conducted courses/webinars:
1.Teachers4Teachers conference “Project method or how to teach effectively and modernly in high school English lessons” date 5.09.21
2.Two training courses within the framework of dissemination of the Training Model for educational staff on transversal competencies developed during long-term mobility of high school students (Krakow, Białystok, 12 h)
3. Webinar for Pearson Publishing House entitled. “What instead of tests?”
4. Two methodological courses “What instead of grades? ”co-lead with Magdalena Sierocka (one month, 5 months, online)
5.Speaking at the Awakening School online Conference titled: “Moving away from grades-perspective of a high school teacher.
6. Conducting a workshop at the Conference 'Empathic Education-Empathic Poland on the need for education that supports development.
7. Co-presentation at the 36th Pan EU Conference on Digital Education speech entitled “Connected Learning-implementing international and intercultural collaboration of students online, focused on 21st century skills.”
8. Co-presentation at the 37th Pan Conference on Digital Education speech titled “Connected Learning-how to enhance student motivation.”
9. Lecture and workshop conducted during the First International Congress on Informal Education in Lublin on the project and method 'Connected Learning'.
10. Lecture and workshop held during the First Provincial Scientific Conference within the framework of the Laboratories of the Future.
11. Co-hosting an online event disseminating the project “Connected Learning bring your students the world to the classroom.”
12. Co-hosting the webinar “annual assessment in lessons without grades.”
13. Speaking at the Second National Expert Forum on Long-Term Individual Student Mobility titled: A Brief Summary of Training-Trainer's Perspective.
14. speaking at the Conference “School without grades” conducted by the Institute for Agile Education.
15. online talk for the Institute for Agile Education “The system of communicating vessels - the new role of student and teacher - no grades.
16.Lecture for teachers in Zory entitled “My exit from the school Matrix or the system of communicating vessels: no grades-new methods of work-new roles of student and teacher”.
17.TSTT 2023 Conference: International Conference Rethinking How We Train: Teachers of Tomorrow” Presentation of the scientific assumptions of the project Connected Learning Org Charles University in Prague.
18.32 International Conference of the Association of Teachers of English in Poland IATEFL Poland. Speech entitled “The potential of teaching English for GreenComp (European sustainability competence framework)”.
19.Interview for Dalton Plan entitled “What's in thought is on the tongue”.
21.Webinar for the Center for Civic Education entitled “What homework do students and teachers need? https://pomagajsieuczyc.ceo.org.pl/material/jakich-prac-domowych-potrzebuja-uczniowie-i-nauczyciele/
21. Online speech at Waking Up School” titled: ‘Why is learning without grades more effective?’16.01.2024
22. Training for teachers titled: “Interval repetition”.18.04.2024
23. Training for teachers titled” What homework to ask to develop students' creativity and improve the quality of learning?”11, 25.04.2024
Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/katarzyna-pelc-0677a5282/