Paloma Gonzalez

I graduated in English Language and Literature and then taught English for several years at secondary schools in Spain (1981-83). After obtaining a permanent position as a Secondary State School English teacher in 1985, I set up a small English Language School in Madrid with my husband and colleague, Vernon Nash. Between 1986 and 2003 I was in charge of coordinating the Competitive Exam preparation classes for English teachers taught at our very small place, SLS Hallam, in Madrid.

In 2004 I started giving those classes myself and have published 3 books to help teachers prepare for the competitive exam. Looking for ways to improve my teaching and help the teachers who were preparing the competitive exam with me, I came across a website where I first learnt about flipping the classroom. This led me to get Jon and Sam’s book “Flip your classroom: Reach every student, every day in every class”. I was fascinated by what I read, and started publishing things on flipped classrooms first on the Sls Hallam’s blog and then, I transferred the posts to the blog I set up for teachers (https://poppies.es/profesoresinglespublica/blog/flipping-b-learning-for-mastery/).

In 2014 I thought I could also try and have some kind of flipping in my Competitive Exam preparation classes. So, after completing two post-graduate courses at the UNED (Distance Learning University in Spain) I became a University Expert on the Design, Management and Direction of B-learning Programmes and a Specialist in Adult Education within the Common European Framework for Life-Long Learning.

In February 2015 I started offering the Poppies Courses (Competitive Exam Preparation for State School English Teachers) in which I follow some of the principles of Flipped Learning.

Then in December 2017 I became Flipped Learning 3.0 Certified Level I, in January 2018 I became Flipped Learning 3.0Trainer Certified, in February Flipped Learning 3.0 Certified Level II and now, in April-May 2018 I have completed the Flipped Learning 3.0 Differentiation Certified.

One of my aims is to spread the word among English teachers on the benefits of implementing FL in their classes, to reach every student, every day in every class so that they become competent English speakers, enjoy learning English and motivate them to keep on learning.