This end marks the beginning of a period

The course ends but nothing really comes to an end in my teaching practice, I’d rather say that the time has come for implementing more ideas and practices. 

It is impossible to pick the topics that were successful for me, almost everything was useful. I have tried interactive powerpoint, implemented rubrics, and ABCD learning, and used delicious. I’m getting on with these and planning to use games like jeopardy, webquests, and PBL, and Google site. One topic that was not relevant to me, but still interesting to read about others’ experiences, was the large classes. I cannot say anything that we could have covered as I had no idea before the course what it would include but I learned about a lot new things, I have never been a pioneer in this field :).

The past weeks have been so busy that I could just finish what I had to do for the course, but now I will have time to do more research and choose the websites that can often be used in my classes and in my preparations, and I’ll have more time to make presentations and webquests and rubrics, and so on. The workshop I am preparing for this weekend gives me an opportunity to have an overview of what I learned, and can orientate me what to do next. The level and the depth of reflection will surely continue to prevail in my practice. I have set my goals for the coming year in teaching, but to be honest I may have to postpone realizing them, and I’ll be more involved in changing nappies than making presentations. :)

I am grateful to have been able to do this course, and who could be more grateful than my students? Hopefully, they will show interest in other ideas and practices than the ones we have done.

Thank you, Robert, for all your help!

week 9 - heading towards the end...

Week 9 has come to an end, and so has my energy J The 9 weeks altogether have been really busy and full of new information for which I’m grateful for Robert and everyone who’s been working throughout the course, including my colleagues. All the steps have been important that led to my final version of the project report, which has given me a lot of energy and enthusiasm. My three trainees for this term arrived at the beginning of the week, so I need to ’hand over’ my groups for some weeks, I hope I can provide them with useful information including the ones I have just learnt. And I hope they will be able to use technology skilfully.

I am going to hold a workshop for all the trainees and my colleagues about the online course’s contents, I need to highlight a few things, otherwise it is impossible to cram all the 9 weeks’ contents.

It is always sad that something comes to an end, however, the course has been so enriching that I should not feel sorry about it J

Peer reading and online tools and course site

This week has been really busy, first writing our draft for the project and then peer review and checking the online tools. I was really happy about my project as my students seemed to enjoy their presentations. They were really interested when listening to each other. There are still two more to go. I would like to get some feedback from them about the project.

I liked the idea of peer reading and I think it is really useful. I will implement it more often in class. My Ss have to correct each other’s homework exercises, but they are usually the drill kind of exercises. It would be advantageous when they have a writing task. Or even with reading tasks because in one of my groups Ss are not so careful readers and it would make them discuss problematic parts first in pairs. Checking HW with the whole group always gives time for day-dreaming and switching off...

This week we learnt about ANVILL which is a useful site, I am planning to try it first with private Ss, and later I can implement it with school groups.

I got really enthusiastic about creating a website for my trainees for this term but when I got down to work and started to do it, I faced a lot of problems. I was a bit disappointed because I haven’t been able to do a few things I wanted to. I can get really impatient when I encounter problems with technology, and I cannot turn to anyone for help right then. But I do not give up, I will ask a colleague of mine tomorrow or just try, try again...I’m not sure, nicenet might have been a better option, or at least easier.

Autonomy and one computer and partner

I am lucky that our classrooms are equipped. I like using the computer in class because Ss enjoy those activities, too. On Friday we had a module day, and I had three lessons with grade 11 (added to the usual 5 lessons a week). I cannot imagine how I could have planned the lessons without a computer and a projector; I’m so used to them.

As for autonomy, reading the articles and posts made me revise some practices of mine.

Marine, my partner in the project J, asked me a question about the effect of positive feedback. A couple of days ago one of my best student’s, if not the best, mum came to talk to me about the lack of self-confidence in her daughter. She blames herself for this, as she is her younger daughter and she didn’t raise her to become independent, but I feel that me and her other teachers are also responsible. Well, it is not strictly about autonomy because as a learner one cannot be more autonomous than her, but the problem is related to it.

 

Learner autonomy should be discussed at our school because a lot of teachers give everything and all the materials to the Ss and make them less autonomous than Ss were in the past, and we, who try to make them work independently, and do some work on their own, face resistance and failure. It is so mainly in weaker groups. I wonder how my project will work. My Ss seemed enthusiastic at first, and I tried to highlight that I would like them to enjoy what they are doing, but what comes out...

Interactive Power Point Shows and Project

Interactive power point is something I have longed for. I am so happy to get to know so many ideas about making our presentation interactive. I have tried some questions and hyperlinks in my uploaded ppt. I’ll definitely try some games soon. It made me smile to face what mistakes I made in the past, and what a beginner I was. (I hope it’s all past nowJ) I’ll definitely share these ideas with colleagues and trainees. I have been thinking of giving an INTERACTIVE presentation on a number of things I have learnt in the course. I feel that I need more time to try and implement everything I have touched upon. I am struggling to combine everything, I have included the pp games template website in my delicious pages. 

As for the project, this week has been holiday at school and my honeymoon week, so I haven’t been able to make a further step. This coming week will be the one when I assign the task and give them instructions and rubrics what to do. The new issue of the magazine will be handed out this week and then they have a chance to choose a topic they are interested in. What I intend to highlight is that I would like them to ENJOY what they are doing. I feel lucky that now I can show them some tips of involving the audience, so the group. I think they will like the ideas. The steps for this week:

giving a description of the task (showing them some options as for the outcome)

letting them, or if necessary, helping them choose partner(s)

giving enough time (an afternoon) to choose a topic

giving out rubrics

discussing their ideas and giving tips or help.

Then next week:

listening to the presentations and

evaluation (including peer evaluation).

PBL-rubrics-project step-wedding

PBL-rubrics-project step-wedding :)

Week 5 provided me with new information about PBL and webquests. I have never done a webquest, and still feel that I need more time to develop and use one. I know that it would be an important step and my students would like it. However, in the lesson I prefer to have tasks where Ss can communicate with each other and can interact and exchange views about certain topics. So I can imagine a webquest as homework.

Rubrics are really important and I apply them when giving my Ss writing assignments. When we are preparing for an exam, I always let them know the rubrics of that particular exam. Where I should apply it more is speaking activities, oral tests. That is why I wrote rubrics for an oral task that I regularly have in my groups. I need to simplify its language because I have decided to give out a sheet to 2 or 3 Ss and they should evaluate their group mate’s oral summary in parallel with me. I think it would build a sense of consciousness, criticism and responsibility. They would also become able to accept criticism from each other, which can be a great asset later in their life.

I have started pondering about my project. Now it’s holiday at school but I’m going to take action next week. I’m planning to combine things that I have learnt or read about in this course.

Finally, something  personal. I had my wedding on the 5 February. Of course, this has been the highlight of the week!!!!