The classroom is the place where I belong. I first realized that in 1990, my senior year of high school, when I did my social service supporting students finishing their high school via public radio. I met them every Saturday to help them with their English homework and offering extra lessons to support their radio classes. After a quick detour in Engineering in 1991, I did take that proverbial "left turn in Albuquerque" (using that famous Bugs Bunny quote) and moved to Education in 1992 and haven't looked back.
These days I work with students at all levels, always keeping a special place in my heart for my undergraduate classes, especially that Methods and Approaches in the Teaching of Languages (#MATLUPB). My students write Medium blog posts as commentary about the class. Some choose to talk about me, and their words always inspire me to never give less than 100% to my students. In this page, I want to share some of these thoughts, with gratitude, as a reminder of all the work that's left to do to help these young teachers find the best version of themselves!
These days I work with students at all levels, always keeping a special place in my heart for my undergraduate classes, especially that Methods and Approaches in the Teaching of Languages (#MATLUPB). My students write Medium blog posts as commentary about the class. Some choose to talk about me, and their words always inspire me to never give less than 100% to my students. In this page, I want to share some of these thoughts, with gratitude, as a reminder of all the work that's left to do to help these young teachers find the best version of themselves!
Maria Elizabeth Agudelo (2018)
More than a respectable professor, he is an amazing performer, a world-class actor, a terrific voice over artist, and sometimes, even a clown. With a word he can dismantle a blue sad face and paint it pitch black. May the force be with those brave enough to be his padawans: no one really knows which side of the force he is, but what is clear is that he is the master.
Luisa Zapata (2018)
Professor Mora taught us to see beyond the students, communicating personal interest in pupils by calling us by our names, asking questions during the class and talking about topics that we know were interested about. He taught us that taking care of the students and looking after their interest and needs is the very reason for the existence of the teachers.
Yonatan Cano (2019)
Dr. Mora is a great example of passion and dedication for teaching and producing a positive impact on the students. The course is not only about the methods and approaches in the teaching of languages, but also about discovering the way to find our presence and voice in the classroom, to leave our essence in our teaching practice.
Maria Isabel Garcés (2019)
Finally, regarding the MATLUPB professor, I think that he is an idol completely. His attitude and behavior during the class inspire to achieve every goal and never give up in light of difficulties and obstacles that teachers face nowadays. His experience is evident in each advice that he has to share. He manages the perfect relation that every educator must keep with the students. The class is appropriately organized, prepared and supported by few authors and materials that are useful not only for the class but also for the future.
Tomas Rendon (2019)
Dr. Berry also makes me question about the type of teacher that I aspire to be when I graduate. He made me think that being teachers not only means that we will be in charge of promoting ideas in students; encouraging their creativity, imagination, provide them with tools so that they know how to function in today’s societies, and guide them to taking good decisions, we also have to take into account the social difficulties and struggles the students face every day, and that affect their performance during classes.
Felipe Ardila Villa (2020)
This is where Dr. Berry’s teaching methods steal the scene: there’s a purpose behind everything, and it’s the teacher’s work to make students question themselves by giving them the tools to find their own foundations.
Laura Sofía Hernández (2020)
Thanks to you, professor Mora because even if you did not notice it, you taught us how to put ourselves in front of a class, not just to teach a topic, but to recognize our students as an important part of every process of learning, you taught us that a lot of things matter when you talk about learning, that it does matter how the students link their classes, their feelings and their fears and how they overcome them.
Raquel Herrera (2020)
For all future teachers at the UPB, I hope that at least once in life you can have a conference, a course, a class or a conversation with Dr. Berry, he is the live image of a teacher who loves what he does.
Ana María Villada (2020)
Hearing from someone else that you will probably not succeed immediately at something is a good way of realizing making mistakes is alright. I liked this class because I had the chance to learn quite a lot about my exercise of writing but how to apply it in the classroom as well. A gemstone for teaching.
Steven Valencia (2021)
.I am deeply grateful to Professor Mora for the opportunity he gave us all to express in such a beautiful way our thoughts and our feelings about different matters that we carry within us. And that he also gave us the possibility to be heard, since it seems like a paradox but even though we young people are very noisy, we are rarely listened to..