Hello Jodi, Sherie and all friends,
"Time really flies". When I posted the title of this message as a final comment on Week 4, I just felt like I jotted down a similar one just yesterday. And here is the end of Week 4. A similar task in form, but too different in content! It's similar because we have to comment on each week's learning through the blog. However, what's different is that new lessons are learned, and different issues are discussed that could definitely contribute to my professional development.
In Week 4, the lesson plan and the project task weren't a piece of cake although the articles and suggested websites were of great help. I spent some time to decide upon a topic or a skill since I got several in my mind. On the lesson plan, I made up my mind on poetry/ paraphrasing as the class Discussions inspired me a lot! We spent some time discussing the efficiency of teaching poetry to middle and high school learners especially that they are learning it as a second foreign language. Concerning the project task, I chose writing skill as well since I realize deterioration in the writing level of my students year after another. If I had had enough time, I would have brought up other problems like the reliability of our assessment system and the inconsistency of students' preparation for exams as well as their studying approach.
As I proceed in this course, I discover the challenging and demanding role of the teacher. We have lots of tasks to fulfill, but the most important thing is to continue to be motivated.
Best regards,
Nihmat
"Time really flies". When I posted the title of this message as a final comment on Week 4, I just felt like I jotted down a similar one just yesterday. And here is the end of Week 4. A similar task in form, but too different in content! It's similar because we have to comment on each week's learning through the blog. However, what's different is that new lessons are learned, and different issues are discussed that could definitely contribute to my professional development.
In Week 4, the lesson plan and the project task weren't a piece of cake although the articles and suggested websites were of great help. I spent some time to decide upon a topic or a skill since I got several in my mind. On the lesson plan, I made up my mind on poetry/ paraphrasing as the class Discussions inspired me a lot! We spent some time discussing the efficiency of teaching poetry to middle and high school learners especially that they are learning it as a second foreign language. Concerning the project task, I chose writing skill as well since I realize deterioration in the writing level of my students year after another. If I had had enough time, I would have brought up other problems like the reliability of our assessment system and the inconsistency of students' preparation for exams as well as their studying approach.
As I proceed in this course, I discover the challenging and demanding role of the teacher. We have lots of tasks to fulfill, but the most important thing is to continue to be motivated.
Best regards,
Nihmat
Hello Nihmat,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that time flies and as I usually say I need a day of more than 24 hours and a week of 8 days at least:). Anyway, I agree with you that the discussion was one of the best things in this tough week. I hope we can discuss the problems of reliability of our assessment system and the inconsistency of students' preparation for exams as well as their studying approach. These are really very nice topics to discuss. And at last, I hope we get motivated to work harder and harder.
Hesham,
Egypt
Hi Hesham,
DeleteYes, indeed, I wish at this moment that I could have a week of even long days to be able to finish my tasks for this week. With lots of things to do, I sometimes feel drained, but I don't know how I'm filled with motivation to proceed despite hindrances. I think it's all due to the positive and encouraging atmosphere of the class that we are blessed with!
Best of wishes and luck to achieve success not only in this course but your life as well.
Regards,
Nihmat
Hi Nihmat,
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way of giving feedback you have developed! Images and videos are sometimes much more effective than words. I admire you skill to select most indicative ones.
I feel the same as the boy in the starfish video. Unfortunately, not all our teaching efforts are successful, but I know that each year there is at least one student, who needs what I am giving, and I work for him/her, and later I see them high in the sky.
It find it important to discuss the assessment issue, and I hope other colleagues will join. Indeed, before starting sharing the links we should have discussed this.
Students' studying approach is another tack in the shoe. How to get them away from just "learning the vocabulary", etc.
What do you do about it?
Thanks for bringing this up.
Best regards,
Val, Belarus
Hi Val,
DeleteI'm interested that we carry along our class discussions to the blog. This is to emphasize the fact that we continuously learn from each other wherever we are.Thanks to technology!
Concerning problems, I think it's hard to teach language through vocabulary. I try to get them hooked on daily reading, which is the best way ever to enhance language acquisition.My students panic before SAT exams, so they hold the cards of unfamiliar words and start memorizing their meanings in a bookish even sometimes without using it in proper context. I ease them up by suggesting reading different excerpts of stories and articles. I incite them to read and comprehend the main idea without getting overstressed on any ambiguous vocabulary words.
The discussion should never end here! I have to know about your opinion, so we'll continue later.
Best of luck and sincere wishes are sent to you, Val.
By the way, thanks for the opening comments; they mean a lot to me!
Regards,
Nihmat
Dear Nihmat,
ReplyDeleteTwo core topics for discussion in ONE reflective post!
Congratulations!
Val and Hesham beat me with stressing the importance of assessment. I do believe it is the responsibility of the teacher in the first place to establish a good and foul proof methodologies and tools for assessment. Yet sometimes those approaches fail for many reasons. Sometimes they fail because of fault in the tools or methodologies themselves. Other times, they fail when the 'system' try to overrule them, mainly when certain higher authority gives direction for 'leniency' or 'toughness'. Nevertheless, there should always be a narrow margin left for flexibility in the assessment system. Don't you think?
Best regards,
Hassan, Lebanon
Hi Hassan,
DeleteI appreciate your sound comments on my posts! And your congratulations are accepted!!!
Although the teacher has ground tools for assessment, the school and the students' performances could be sometimes among the hindrances to fulfill them. You can fully understand what I mean. According to me, I'm for rigidity when it comes to the application of a system once we are convinced of its validity. Although flexibility is recommended in life, let it be away from our assessment system, or else the teaching-learning process will definitely be corrupted.
Thanks for bringing these topics up. I really enjoy the discussion with you.
Wishing you the best that you deserve.
Nihmat