Albert Loan, Faculty Member at Universidad Francisco Marroquin
Fernando Menendez's seminar on adult learning introduced me to andragogy, the work of Jane Vella, the Kolb learning cycle, learning style assessment, and a host of tools and approaches for transforming the classroom into a dynamic, collaborative space where multiple intelligences are honored and where students take increasing ownership of their learning process and peer teaching.
Having attended a host of similar seminars and workshops over the years, as well as having been a teacher-trainer myself, I have to say this was one of the best run seminars in which I have participated. Fernando's attention to each participant's needs, even before the seminar began, his assessment of each participant's learning style, his patience with each of our questions, and the breadth of knowledge he brought, not only from current scholarship but from his own experience, made the seminar worth every minute.
Fernando conveys the importance and complexity of learning processes and the preparation necessary to achieve them by modeling in the seminar the very techniques and ideas he is explaining. We leaned how to better understand ourselves and each other as learners, how to identify features of the learning environment conducive to dialogic and collaborative education, and how to design curriculum that meets the needs of diverse adult learners. We worked individually, in pairs, and in larger teams.
From the get-go, there was an emphasis on tangible results, an end product that would demonstrate our learning. Fernando established a fast pace that kept both energies and expectations high. The workshop demonstrated a seemingly effortless way of inspiring eagerness to complete our work with an ethic of excellence. By the end of the seminar, we were all actively sharing our work, receiving feedback from our colleagues, and learning from one another. We became the students we hope to teach and were shown firsthand the effectiveness of experiential learning.
Michele Brooks, Principal Consultant for Transformative Solutions in Education and former Assistant Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools
The content and skills I developed through the workshop sessions impacted my practice significantly. In the 20 years since my first session, I have utilized the methodology that was shared. I attribute my success and effectiveness as a facilitator to the techniques that I learned from Fernando.
Lorena Bianchi, Former Educational Director, Ixchel Museum, Guatemala City
When I practiced what I learned with Fernando, I realized how easy it is to understand how others learn and how to capture their attention. In my case, I was working as the educational director of a museum, and it was wonderful to see our museum guides so excited to present the material in various ways, as if a new horizon emerged for them. This helped keep them motivated while delivering our visitors messages customized according to their ages and interests. The visitors were delighted as well!
Training Participant
This was a very useful and insightful, helpful workshop. Our Community Engagement Team will benefit greatly from the tools we've gathered from the training.
Training Participant
In this course, you will hear the hard truth about developing a presentation for adults that strongly incorporates the need to focus on the learning rather than how much information was communicated. It is also valuable to view, hear, and understand the importance of activity in all presentation in order to make whatever you are presenting have a more immediate impact on the learner.
Training Participant
This workshop is extremely valuable. It brings you through a layered understanding by means of lecture, hands-on activities, and most importantly, practice and interaction.
Training Participant
This training/workshop was amazing, hands down.