Author Archives: Tom Godfrey

About Tom Godfrey

I am an ELT teacher and teacher trainer. I am Director of ITI, Istanbul a training institute in Istanbul. I am also founder of Speech Bubbles theatre which performs musicals to raise money for children and education.

Reflections on Performative Pedagogy: Why Community Matters More Than Ever

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Not all forms of teacher development feel alive.Some feel like information delivery. Others feel like compliance. Very few feel like genuine growth. Performative pedagogy, and the Community Forum approach that sits within it, offers something different. It reminds us that … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged drama, education, ELT, Forum Theatre, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teachers, teaching, technology, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

Staging the Forum: How Teachers Rehearse for Reality

Posted on November 16, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Most professional development asks teachers to talk about their challenges.A Community Forum asks them to show them. This final phase of the Community Forum process brings everything together. The trust built earlier in the workshop. The honest disclosures. The embodied … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged drama, education, ELT, Forum Theatre, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

We tell teachers to reflect, but never teach them how to feel

Posted on November 8, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Teacher reflection has become a mantra in professional development.But what if reflection just stays trapped in our heads? Teachers sit in training sessions analysing lessons and discussing what went wrong. They fill out self-evaluation forms, watch their peers, and write … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drama, education, ELT, Forum Theatre, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teachers, teaching, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning, writing | Leave a comment

From Self to Scene: Re-Enacting Experience Through Image Theatre

Posted on November 2, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Performative ELT How do we move from talking about our challenges as teachers to seeing and feeling them in new ways? In my Performative Pedagogy workshops, this shift happens through Image Theatre—a form of collaborative exploration where teachers bring their … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged drama, embodied approaches, Forum Theatre, performative pedagogy, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, whole person learning | Leave a comment

From Stories to Shapes: Embodying Emotion in Teacher Education

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

When teachers talk about the challenges they face, the conversation often stays in the realm of ideas — analysing what went wrong, what could have been better, or what strategies might help next time. But what if, instead of talking … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development, Uncategorized, Whole Person Learning | Tagged drama, education, ELT, Forum Theatre, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

Performative ELT

Posted on October 19, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drama, education, ELT, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teachers, teaching, technology, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Comments Off

Introducing ITI Istanbul’s Hybrid CELTA Course

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

The Best of Both Worlds At ITI Istanbul, we’re excited to announce the launch of our very first Hybrid CELTA course. This course is designed to give you the flexibility of online learning. It also combines the in-person energy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged CELTA, Hybrid CELTA, ITI, ITI Istanbul, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey | Leave a comment

From Trainer to Facilitator: Reimagining Teacher Development

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

I’ve run countless workshops for teachers over the years. Most of them go well—laughter, lively discussions, positive feedback. But there’s one exchange that stays with me: Me: Did you enjoy the workshop? Participant: Oh yes, it was a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged education, ELT, Forum Theatre, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teachers, teaching, technology, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

Rethinking Teacher Development: What Are Community Forums?

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

What if professional development wasn’t something done to teachers—but something created by them? That’s the idea behind Community Forums. It’s a powerful, participatory model. Educators come together to share experiences, reflect deeply, and explore solutions through performance. A Different Workshop … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged #TeacherDevelopment #PerformativePedagogy #CommunityForum #EmbodiedLearning #ELT #DramaInEducation #TeacherVoice, education, Forum Theatre, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

Join the Performative ELT Community for Creative Growth

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Tom Godfrey

Dr. Tom Godfrey emphasizes the need for transformative teacher development through performative pedagogy, which engages teachers emotionally and creatively. He advocates for participatory practices like the Community Forum, allowing teachers to share struggles and explore solutions collaboratively. The movement encourages educators to connect, access resources, and contribute to redefining teacher learning. Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development, Uncategorized | Tagged Community Forums, drama, education, ELT, Forum Theatre, ITI, performative ELT, performative pedagogy, Teacher Development, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment