How did we get started?
In January 1994, the writer received a letter from Robert Gillan, inviting her to be SEAL's representative in Argentina. The main mission was to actively promote SEAL in order to increase membership and Conference attendance in the UK. SEAL had played an important role in the writer�s personal and professional growth: after attending her first Conference, Pathways to Potential, in 1991, it became inevitable for her to spread SEAL's word with colleagues and friends. Thus this invitation was a challenge to continue her informal promotion in a more organised way.
First steps to increase membership were to present SEAL in workshops on Self-Esteem, acknowledging SEAL as the major source of inspiration. Perhaps one of the most effective ways to promote SEAL or any other organisation is through workshops; what happens is that participants become enthused and inspired and want to know more about where ideas come from.
Members also grew from the visits of popular SEAL presenters to Argentina: Mario Rinvolucri, David Kettlewell and Mark Fletcher. The English language newspaper Buenos Aires Herald reported on SEAL activities several times and the local ELT magazine News and Views mentioned SEAL events and published SEAL members� articles. In view of our rapid growth of membership from four members in January 1994 to 67 in October 1994, we decided to organise more events in Argentina to build a true network of like-minded educators in our country.
In the words of Lao-Tse 'A thousand mile journey begins with one step'. Our first step was to organise a workshop in September 1994 with David Kettlewell. The same year, in October we made our second step with a workshop presented by Terry Cullen. Since then we have organised 21 events, including our very successful First Argentine SEAL Conference, The Sunshine of Learning, organised with the support of the British Council, in February 1996 with three main speakers from the UK: Grethe Hooper Hansen, Robert Gillan and Mark Fletcher and local presenters: Clara Braghiroli, Terry Cullen, Mercedes Moore, Vivian Roig, and myself. Details of events are shown in Seal Events In Argentina.
These workshops and events have been the result of the faith and support of many people, especially that of participants and also that of organisations such as the British Council and Colegio Amapola. The British Council first offered its support in 1993 and its Director Mike Potter gave subsidies for the conferences in 96 and 98.
SEAL UK cannot give us financial support as it is a non-profit making organisation. Thus, our events must be self-funding. But 'innovations are acts of faith' (House, 1974). It was basically through the faith and love of many friends and supporters that SEAL in Argentina has continued its work. A core group: Terry Culen, Mercedes Moore, Susan Cocimano, Héctor Andrés (my husband!) and myself formed a committee to organise the First Conference. Since then we have continued organising other events including a very ambitious step for February 1998; the Second International SEAL Argentine Conference, The Wings of Learning, with seven overseas speakers and four local presenters. Robert Gillan, Grethe Hooper Hansen and Adrian Underhill came from the UK, Eva Jonai from Hungary; Elisabeth Huldt from Sweden, Pearl Nitsche from Austria and Sara Zimin from Israel. Argentine presenters were Clara Braghiroli, Susan Cocimano, Jaime Duncan and myself.
SEAL
Representative for Argentina
May 1997
