Microsoft Partners in Learning
about
Teachers: Innovate in the classroom
Help your students build the skills they need for the future—such as problem solving, critical thinking,
collaboration, and creativity—with Partners in Learning. You’ll meet other innovative teachers for
collaboration opportunities, get access to free teacher resources, and learn about great ways to
improve your personal teaching practice using technology.
Membership is free - Join today!
Teachers helping teachers
Connect
Become part of a global teacher community that fosters collaboration and idea sharing among innovative teachers from around the world.
Grow
Build your teaching practice with training and coaching from recognized master educators.
Influence
Help shape the future of education by becoming a Microsoft Innovative Educator, community leader, and mentor.
Engage
Get valuable teaching resources—including free software, teacher guides, and tutorials—to help you better engage students and inspire classroom learning.
How teachers use Partners in Learning
"Before going to the Innovative Education Forum and the Global Forum, I was totally
unaware of the transformations taking place in classrooms around the world. Joining
this inspiring global community of teachers has opened my mind to a feast of information
and ideas that has no end. "
Cheryl Arnett
1st & 2nd grade teacher – Colorado, USA
My tips and suggestions
- Watch for the opportunity to apply for Partners in Learning Forums in your country. Don’t miss out on the chance to showcase your work and learn from innovative educators around the globe!
- Free tools like Kodu, Mouse Mischief, and Photostory are all incredibly kid friendly. They make learning engaging and fun, and build independence in your students. Take advantage of these programs and tutorials for learning new strategies to use in your classroom.
- Use Partners in Learning to connect online with other innovative teachers from around the world. The possibilities for learning are endless for both you and your students!
- Shout is a wonderful opportunity to bring the world directly into our classroom. Join the Shout Community and begin to make connections with scientists and environmental teachers around the globe.
"The students we teach today are not the same as those we taught 10 or 20 years
ago, which means that our teaching practices can’t remain the same either. Partners
in Learning has helped me understand that a great teacher is also a lifelong learner."
Arjana Blasic
English & German teacher – Zagreb, Croatia
My tips and suggestions
- Use LiveMeeting Webinars as a platform to engage students in the learning process and to boost their motivation to participate. This new way of teaching has had a tremendous impact for us, not only for students but for teachers as well.
- Take advantage of professional training from the Partner in Learning Institutes. Thanks to what I learned there, my classroom is now student-centered and my students have taken control of the learning process.
- Open the doors of your classroom and let your students learn from their international peers. My Belgian colleague Bart Verswijvel and I led a successful collaboration project in which our students used AutoCollage and PowerPoint to show each other their digital networks, their language, their imaginations and their world.
"Partners in Learning has completely changed my perception about teaching, opened
me up to a new world of infinite possibilities and connected me with a network of
highly experienced teachers from all over the world."
Iyke Chukwu
Teacher & school e-learning coordinator – Abuja, Nigeria
My tips and suggestions
- I recommend strongly that every teacher join the Partners in Learning Network. I love the resources I constantly get from this site, especially in the area of internationalizing teaching and learning through international joint curriculum projects and school partnerships. It’s helped me see teaching as a very exciting profession.
- Look for opportunities to participate in events such as the Partners in Learning Forum. I’ve learned a lot at these events. Now, my students now learn in a more relaxed and friendly environment because of the integration of ICT and hands-on activities. The best part is that their academic performances have also greatly improved.
- If you haven’t felt ready to integrate ICT in your classroom, use resources from Partners in Learning to get started now. ICT has become an engine of growth and has the potential to contribute significantly to sustainable economic development, to enhance public welfare, to strengthen democracy, to nourish cultural diversity, and to foster global peace.
"Microsoft Partners in Learning helps bridge the gap between teachers and students.
As an IT teacher, I try to make my lessons fun to learn, so that it is easier to
keep students focused. Through Partners in Learning, I can provide tools that help
my students use their creativity and imagination."
Janjira Phongchoo
Teacher – Pathumthaini province, Thailand
My tips and suggestions
- Use Mouse Mischief to help teach large classes. In Thailand, classrooms usually have more than 50 students. I’ve had difficulties teaching and engaging this large number of students before. Mouse Mischief enables every student in my class to engage in the lessons. With only one PC and a mouse for each student, I can understand their understanding immediately.
"Partners in Learning has given me the opportunity to mount imaginary jet engines
on the roof my classroom and “travel around the world” with my students."
Jerker Porat
Teacher - Nora, Sweden
My tips and suggestions
- Join the Partners in Learning Network. Through it, I’ve established great connections with colleagues around the world. As we share ideas about teaching and help each other solve questions and problems, we find ourselves always innovating. It’s the best source of ideas for making changes in your classroom.
- Collaborate with your Partners in Learning colleagues. My colleagues and I have started a project called Environmental Godparents, which connect my students to others around the world. The older students become "Environmental Godparents" and coach the younger ones about environmental responsibility. Please contact us at Environmental Godparents – maybe you will want to join!
- Join lots of collaboration projects. I’ve been able to find them for nearly every subject my students are studying. For my students, one big result is that they have improved their English language skills, which is one of the most important subjects in Sweden. They have also been taking greater responsibility for the environment.
- Partners in Learning can be a great way to introduce students to our global society. For example, I’ve used it to show the world what the town I work in looks like. I have become a member in a virtual museum where we share cultural events, town-culture and student paintings and sculpture. Through that community, we make the world smaller for our students.
Membership is free - Join today!
