So the announcement was made that we need to pass up the hard copy of our blog entries on Monday. Everyone was in a haste to finish it up including me. So for the past few days, I’ve slave all days just to finish up the work even though I was at fault.
The entries include our learning process in this course, reflection on the movies, and basically our thoughts on the activities we had done in the class. We were told to do 15 entries and 10 comments but there are of confusion on that. Some said it was 10 entries and 5 comments and others said differently. So to be on the safe side, I did 15 entries and 10 comments. I had to crack my head on what we did for each tutorials and lectures. But I managed to get it all done and not stray away from the task.
Writing journals are something very useful. It reminds you of what you did and what your opinions were. When looking back at those entries, you would feel the difference between the past and the present. In the past, you have a different mindset and that mindset can change in matter of time. So it is good to reread your journals and reflect on the changes in you over time and change.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Practical…where to go first then later the rest…
During Dr. Jaya’s class on Tuesday (28th September), we were asked to elect a class rep for the allocation of our teaching practical. After much hesitation from everyone, Nova volunteered to do the job. We didn’t think much of it afterwards since we were given a task to complete.
But the next day, a form was passed around for us to fill in the schools that we would like to go. Priscilla, Oon Oon, Winnie, and I have decided that we would house together during the practical. So, it would be convenient to find schools that are nearby. Priscilla and I are partners. We discussed which school was the best choice for us. So, after much discussion our first choice is SMK Notre Dame but we were stuck with the second choice. Since there was not much time because others wanted to write down their choices, we left it as that for the meantime. Oon Oon and Winnie were still unsure of their choices so they decided to fill up the form the next day.
I feel whatever it is, it is important to make decisions about the practical with your partner because he or she will be with during that 12 weeks of ‘agony’. The most important thing between the two is communication and understanding. This is to avoid miscommunication. So, hopefully we would get the schools we wanted. Good luck to TESL 7 for the next semester!
But the next day, a form was passed around for us to fill in the schools that we would like to go. Priscilla, Oon Oon, Winnie, and I have decided that we would house together during the practical. So, it would be convenient to find schools that are nearby. Priscilla and I are partners. We discussed which school was the best choice for us. So, after much discussion our first choice is SMK Notre Dame but we were stuck with the second choice. Since there was not much time because others wanted to write down their choices, we left it as that for the meantime. Oon Oon and Winnie were still unsure of their choices so they decided to fill up the form the next day.
I feel whatever it is, it is important to make decisions about the practical with your partner because he or she will be with during that 12 weeks of ‘agony’. The most important thing between the two is communication and understanding. This is to avoid miscommunication. So, hopefully we would get the schools we wanted. Good luck to TESL 7 for the next semester!
Writing journals…again
When we were told that one of our assignments was to create a blog, I already had an inkling idea of what we need to do. And I was right. We need to write our own reflections regarding the course like what had learn, our thought and so on. This reminds me of what we did for Dr. Edwin. Don’t get me wrong, I feel that writing is a good source for expressing one’s view. But the occasional writer’s block and laziness do kick in most of the time. When I force myself to sit down and write, it never works and it is hard to produce anything.
Writing actually helps in generating ideas. When I scribble on a piece of paper, it gave me some idea of what to write. Personally I do have a blog where I post my poems. But I’m not a regular writer as I said before writer’s block and laziness are not my friends. I feel that the objective in writing our own reflection is good practice for us to learn how to write. It may not be grammar error free but it can be enjoyable without worrying about grammar for once and just letting your ideas flow.
Writing actually helps in generating ideas. When I scribble on a piece of paper, it gave me some idea of what to write. Personally I do have a blog where I post my poems. But I’m not a regular writer as I said before writer’s block and laziness are not my friends. I feel that the objective in writing our own reflection is good practice for us to learn how to write. It may not be grammar error free but it can be enjoyable without worrying about grammar for once and just letting your ideas flow.
Fables...
When we were told to create a fable but with a modern twist, it really brought back memories of my childhood. I remember reading Mother Goose stories and it really did give great pleasure. Fables are a form of traditional literature which was passed down through the word of mouths. I still remembered holding “Aesop Fables” book. Since I did not have it at home, I would go to my school’ library and borrow it to relief boredom. Those were the days and remind me how time flies really fast.
Each group consists of three people. Winnie and Oon Oon are my group mates. We did a fable using “the peacock and the crane” as the base but replace with human characters instead. The fable we did was a conversation between two former school mates. One has become a star while the other is just a regular person. The star was boasting about her beauty, fame and wealth and looked down on her friend. Even though the second character was not as famous as the first, she definitely had more freedom that the star when paparazzi tried to chase her down to get good photos. So the moral of the story is “Fine feathers don't make fine birds.” It means that you may be pretty on the outside but that doesn’t mean you are pretty at heart.
I think this is an activity that can be used for the lower forms students. Fables can teach students about moral values and also by creating their own dialogues; it improves their English as well. Again, this is a good idea in gaining the students’ interest in learning English.
Each group consists of three people. Winnie and Oon Oon are my group mates. We did a fable using “the peacock and the crane” as the base but replace with human characters instead. The fable we did was a conversation between two former school mates. One has become a star while the other is just a regular person. The star was boasting about her beauty, fame and wealth and looked down on her friend. Even though the second character was not as famous as the first, she definitely had more freedom that the star when paparazzi tried to chase her down to get good photos. So the moral of the story is “Fine feathers don't make fine birds.” It means that you may be pretty on the outside but that doesn’t mean you are pretty at heart.
I think this is an activity that can be used for the lower forms students. Fables can teach students about moral values and also by creating their own dialogues; it improves their English as well. Again, this is a good idea in gaining the students’ interest in learning English.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Arranged marriage??? Or love marriage???
Hmm….that is a topic I never really consider. I feel that arranged marriage is not as appealing as love marriage. I know that some people thinks that arranged marriage is less hassle in terms of choosing the groom since that is done by the parents. But I feel that parents have been the remote control of our lives since birth and I think we ought to have some say when it comes to choosing our significant other. Of course before marriage there are dates and through those dates you get to the person better. I think when there is no expiration date when it comes to boyfriend & girlfriend relationships. Some couples have dated for 10 years only then decides to get married and some maybe as short as a year. So, the dating period is when people can experience the different personalities of a person and evaluate them. When we’re still single, we would face some mistakes when it comes to our partner and hopefully learn from them but with arranged marriage you are stuck with that person for life without knowing first hand of his/her personality.
There are definitely pros and cons to both marriages which I can’t deny. But, I think when it comes to marriage, it is our choice and we need to really think on our decision when it comes to marriage. Our parents can be our advisors but not really the decider. It is our lives. When we reach adulthood it is our responsibility to take care of it since our parents have done that. I am not saying to disregard our parents but always draw the line to certain things as not all the time they are able to hold our hands forever.
There are definitely pros and cons to both marriages which I can’t deny. But, I think when it comes to marriage, it is our choice and we need to really think on our decision when it comes to marriage. Our parents can be our advisors but not really the decider. It is our lives. When we reach adulthood it is our responsibility to take care of it since our parents have done that. I am not saying to disregard our parents but always draw the line to certain things as not all the time they are able to hold our hands forever.
What to do for position paper?!
I have not the slightest idea on what to do for my position paper! There are two short stories to choose from: “The Great Injustice” and “Merry Maid”. Both stories I have read before and both are good stories.
A few days ago in Dr. Jaya’s class, we did a discussion with our friends and of course none of us were ready because we haven’t started yet. But we tried our best and started exchange some ideas. My group consists of Priscilla, Wani, Huda, and me. Most of us agree that “The Great Injustice” held more current issues compared to “Merry Maid”. It contains issues like giving birth out of wedlock and how society perceives that as a scandal and humiliation to the family. There are also the issue of inequality between the male character and the female character. These are the some of the ideas we have for the position paper.
The problem now is producing it! But that discussion did help me in generating ideas for the paper. So it is up to me to present my ideas into paper.
A few days ago in Dr. Jaya’s class, we did a discussion with our friends and of course none of us were ready because we haven’t started yet. But we tried our best and started exchange some ideas. My group consists of Priscilla, Wani, Huda, and me. Most of us agree that “The Great Injustice” held more current issues compared to “Merry Maid”. It contains issues like giving birth out of wedlock and how society perceives that as a scandal and humiliation to the family. There are also the issue of inequality between the male character and the female character. These are the some of the ideas we have for the position paper.
The problem now is producing it! But that discussion did help me in generating ideas for the paper. So it is up to me to present my ideas into paper.
Learning from movies
After watching eight movies, it is a learning experience. I’ve seen how some teachers really cared for their students. Most of them were patient, hard working, creative, and believe in their students’ ability. The students in the movies were look down upon by society as troublemakers and worthless, thus, they feel they are useless and not good for anything. But, the teachers that thought differently gave these students hope and started to respect the teachers. For instance, in “The Ron Clark Story”, Mr. Clark was a patient and creative teacher who was devoted in his profession. He was not willing to give up on his students and encouraged them to become more than what they can achieved. This is something as a future teacher should learn; believing in your students and not have a preconceive notion could make a huge different in teaching and learning.
Besides that, some of the techniques used by the teachers in the movies were quite useful. For example, in “Finding Forrester”, it remind me of free writing where the student would copy sentences from the book and can start forming his own words when he feels confident in it; this is something that is useful for students with low proficiency. By giving students the confident first instead of crushing them is more helpful as they will feel they are capable in writing.
These movies are to inspire us in becoming a better teacher. We should learn a thing or two from these teachers. We might not be confident when we first started out as teachers but with time and experience, we can improve and inspire our students to learn. That is the purpose of a teacher: to educate and inspire the younger generation.
Besides that, some of the techniques used by the teachers in the movies were quite useful. For example, in “Finding Forrester”, it remind me of free writing where the student would copy sentences from the book and can start forming his own words when he feels confident in it; this is something that is useful for students with low proficiency. By giving students the confident first instead of crushing them is more helpful as they will feel they are capable in writing.
These movies are to inspire us in becoming a better teacher. We should learn a thing or two from these teachers. We might not be confident when we first started out as teachers but with time and experience, we can improve and inspire our students to learn. That is the purpose of a teacher: to educate and inspire the younger generation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)