Ninth Task

Journals

1

During this week I only had the opportunity to teach three lessons, since there were two days that students did not have classes. On one hand, what I could perceive was that one of the two grades (9-06) that I am charge of is more interested in learning English as a Second Language. There are many students in this grade that pay attention, ask questions and participate even if they do not know some words in Spanish. On the other hand, the other grade (9-06) they do not participate too much, they have problems of indiscipline and most of the time is in Spanish.

Also, what I planned with the grade (9-05) was a little challenger for them, since the activities made by the cooperator teacher do not usually include the development of the listening and speaking skills. The activity was framed for one hour, but at the end they could complete only two activities out of three. One of the variables that affect what I planned, was that the time that I had classes with them was in the first hour “12:30 pm-1:25 pm” in which the majority of the students came late to class and despite of that, they usually ask for permission to go outside to drink water and I could not start until 15 minutes later what I had planned because there was 8 students from 33 students. The another variable was that students were not accustomed to do listening and speaking activities, and they were also accustomed to do in most of the cases one activity that they could present the next class if they do not finish, for that reason many students used to talk with their classmates since they had the opportunity to present the activities next class. But, what I did different was that during the class I told them the time that they had to do every activity, and at the end of the class I collected and graded what they had done.

Finally, what I planned with the grade (9-06) was challenger for them, since the activities made by the cooperator teacher do not usually include the development of the listening and speaking skills. Despite of that, students could complete the three activities. However, with the third activity I could notice that many students had gaps expressing and writing their classmates preferences on sports. They confuse the first person with the third person and also, they have problems with the present simple in the third person, since they confuse “She has” with “She have” or “He likes” with “He like”. That is why I had to take actions in regards of the last issue. I had to change my lesson of the next class, since I could not continue without practicing more the present simple with the third person. I decided to make a listening passage and also, they had to read a text and fill the gaps with “Affirmative” or “Negative” form with the third person of the present simple.

2

During this week I had the opportunity to teach five hours with the two grades (9-05) and (9-06).

First, what I planned with the grade (9-05) was uncompleted since I lost one hour with them because students and teachers were asked to go to a big classroom in order that they could identify the new coordinator. After that, students completed the third activity and they took all the hour. During this activity there was one student who was not doing the activity because he thinks that he is not capable of doing anything in English. For that reason I made a comment and I told him that if he wanted I could help him to improve his skills, the time for tutoring will be on Monday and on Friday in the break. Also, the other class was a survey, students should identify their classmates’ hobbies, but some of them ask me if they could make the activity with people that they talk with. That is why I should told them, that if they wanted they could make the survey with people they talk with.

Finally, what I planned during the week with the grade (9-06) was completed. One thing that I liked was that I used two different reading passages and I could realize the students who made copy since they did not realize that they had different reading passages. Also, the cooperator teacher was not in this class because she had to go out and some students misbehave. I should told them that I will put negative points if they continued misbehaving. If I had the opportunity to teach this lesson again, I will seize the things that are affecting the development of the activities and giving those things the next day. Furthermore, the other classes was good since students behave well and most of them were engaged on the activities and on the design of the posters for the presentation of a “sporting event” on Monday. At last point, students are using more the target language and I try to speak inside and outside of the classroom in English with them in order that they can receive input and later on they can produce output.

3

During this week I only had the opportunity to teach five lessons, since there was one day that students did not have classes.

First, the activity of the poster presentations with 9-05 grade was a mess. I planned an activity in which half of the groups were presenting during the first 20 minutes, and the other half were rotating in each station. However, students did not do it, instead of that almost the majority of the students were talking in Spanish about other things different from the class topic. Also, when I finished of listening a group I realized that some students were shouting, chatting in their cellphones and others were playing on the board with my marker, I looked at my watch and I realized there was not enough time to organize them in their desks and finish the poster presentations. Then, what I did was to call their attention and told them that if they continued in that way, I will put them a bad grade. After that, some students were behaving well, but after some minutes they started to misbehave again. At the end, all the groups could present, however I felt very disappointed because I imagined the activity will be incredible.

After, I get home and I asked myself what was wrong, I realized the activity itself was not a bad idea, since students did the effort to make the posters and to pronounce well. Then, the problem was that students did not found an importance on looking their classmates’ posters and preferred doing other things. In that case, I thought that for next time I had two options, the first is that students should present in front of the class while their classmates are in their desks and the second is to design a format in which students should fill with information from the presentations that will be graded. In that way, students should pay attention to their classmates when they are presenting.

Finally, with 9-06 was good. However, I almost lost an hour since there was not the classroom’ keys to open it. I had to give the class in a kiosk. But, I could only introduce the new topic, since when I was talking few students listened what I was saying. Despite of that, in the second hour that was after the break we found that a solution, it was to give the class in the library. Then, I realized if this problem occurs again I will go immediately to the library and see if I can give the class there.

4

During this week I only had the opportunity to teach four lessons, since there was one day that students did not have classes. Also, each grade took a cumulative test in one hour, however not all the students took it because there were some students who did not assist that day.

First, with 9-05 I could complete the 80% of my lesson plan. However, the third activity that was a speaking activity was incomplete since students expressed that they could not finish it. I believe they could not finish it because of their level of English and also because some students did not do the activity immediately. So, if I teach this lesson again I will be more focus on the groups or pairs that seem not to be doing the speaking activity.

Second, with 9-06 I could complete the 60% of my lesson plan. That day they ask me to help them to study to the cumulative test. So, I decided to help them with an exercise. In this exercise students were engaged and was good that one student could explain me and to their classmates his reasons why he thought that was the correct answer in English.

Finally, in order to make students to use the target language, students are asked to tell in English in situations such as: to go to drink water, to go to the coordinator, to go to the bathroom, to go to the principal or to the teachers’ room. One thing that was surprisingly for me was that since I started to establish certain rules, on Wednesday a student without asking him, he tell me in English if he could enter to the classroom. That was something that show me that they really can use the target language and it does not matter if it is for small things.

5

During this week I had the opportunity to teach the six lessons, however the activities that I had planned with the two grades were some that we could not complete.

First, what I had planned with 9-05 was an initial game using “pass, pass, stop” and “guess the word” for 25 minutes, but it took all the hour since some students who were chosen by the game “pass, pass, stop” did not know the word that they needed to explain with their body language to their classmates. After the class finished I thought that for next time what I could do is to think of the number of that day and then select from the list that number. Then, the student that is participating will say a number and the Ts will select that number from the list, and so on. This a good strategy to get students involved because they won’t feel pushed to participate and also, the activity is faster than the game “pass, pass, stop”. Despite of that, in another class students were asked to make a short conversation in which they needed to ask and answer a place where they have been and how the weather was in that place. The majority of the students did well in this activity since they were very motivated about sharing their personal experiences and also, because they felt that they were using the target language for communication.

Second, the activities that I had planned with 9-06 were almost completed. However, we did not have time to make the poster design since the activity of the reading passage took 30 minutes and I thought that I could not have enough time to explain it. That is why I decided to give them the homework, the explanation of the exam and the poster presentation for Thursday. I think that if I were asked to teach this lesson again, probably I will take into account more the English level my students have. Despite of that, students did great in a speaking activity since students were highly motivated because they talked about their personal preferences on sports and why they liked those sports.

Finally, my students are still having problems with asking permission in English to go to drink water, to come in to the classroom or to go the bathroom. Although, there are some other students who have learnt how to ask permission and how to pronounce words. Also, there are some students who ask me about pronunciation of words since they want to improve their speaking skill.

Eight Task

MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Maria Paula Camacho Aroca

My initial insights in regards on teaching was when I entered to primary school. I still remember my teacher of pre-scholar who was in charge of teaching all the subjects in this grade. She was so charming, respectful, and resourceful. The most that I can remember of her classes was that her classes were full of fun and not boring. Also, she used to take us outside of the classroom in order that we could explore our environment. Moreover, she used some strategies to teach us English such as, the use of songs, drawing and games. I loved all her classes!
However, from first and fifth grade the English classes were a little monotonous since teachers used to teach mainly grammar isolated and not in context.

After that, I was in two schools during my secondary studies. In my first school I was taught English, but it was not one of my favorite subjects, since I used to be more interested in maths and biology. And, in my second school especially in ninth grade I hated it because the English teacher used to be focus on grammar, she asked students to translate all the activities from the textbook and to do the exercises. She never used something different, the only thing was grammar, translation and the use of the textbook. I could not learn anything in this grade. Although, at the end of the year a teacher who was in charge of the "Media técnica de Inglés" ask to ninth grade if we wanted to participate on it. I decided to participate on it but not because I wanted to learn English but because my friends wanted to particpate on it. After I finished my high school I ended up with a different perspective about how English should be taught.

That is why I decided to apply two undergraduate programs at Surcolombiana University, one of them was English language teaching degree and the other was law, but at the end I chose the English language teaching degree. I have not finished my undergraduate program but I have learnt a lot from my teachers, not only to have a good domain in the language itself, but also about methods, approaches, teaching techniques, the role that English is playing around the world and here in Colombia, etc.

Finally, I am putting into practice all the theory I have gained in my first teaching practicum and I have realized that it is not enough what you learn at the university. Within the clasroom you face many situations that is why you need sometimes to take decisions in-action. During the act of teaching it has been really important for me to be reflective. Also, I like when I planned a lesson and students enjoy the class. I think that this a result of being exposed implicitly to English language teaching.

Seventh Task

My teaching metaphor is conformed by a cat that has to encounter many obstacles in order to achieve the goal that is to become into a lion.
I chose this methaphor due to the following reasons:
First, the cat means that when we start our jorney as a teacher we are only novice teachers. In this stage, we struggle with many things such as classroom management, the decisions taken in regards to the activities and materials, etc. Also, most of the novice teachers initiate to be curious and adventurous as a cat. They put into practice new ideas and see if those ideas work or not with the students they are in charge of.
Second, the lion means that the novice teacher has acquired experience and now, it is capable to overcome situations that affect the teaching and learning process. However, this lion it is not the king of the classroom, he gives the opportunity to the animals that sorround him to take the decisons with him about the activities, assesment, content and what should be improved within the classroom, because a teacher  should be a faciliator of the learning process.

Sixth Task

Questions based on Richars and Lockhart (20017) "Exploring teachers' beliefs"

• Beliefs about English

Learning English as a second language it is important, not only to communicate with native speakers but also, because nowadays in Colombia and in many countries English is requirement for getting a job, for business, for understanding all the information from the mass media and among others. However, I think that not only the dialects of American or British English should be taught at schools, but also other dialects like latin American English, chinese English and others.

• Beliefs about learning

Learning is a transformative process since learners can delete pieces of information, or build new learning based on their background knowledge. Also, this transformative process can be obtained with input, output, intake and with reflection. For example, we as pre-service teachers who are doing their practicum in a public school and where students do not use English as a second language because they do not have a basic level, we can give them input since we are the main resource they have in order to speak in English later on.

• Beliefs about teaching

My role as a teacher is to be an intermediater between the learning and teaching process. Students in my classes participate if they know how to answer in English, they do; if not, they answer in Spanish. I always tell students that I won't jugde them if they commit mistakes, because failures are part of the learning process. Also, I try to implement within the classroom the communicative appoach, task-based approach and cooperative learning.

• Beliefs about teaching as a profession

The profession of teaching needs that we as teachers set goals not only for the class but also, to set our own goals. A teacher who is professional see their work not only as a guarantee for their well being, but also they do their work with motivation.

• Beliefs about the program and the curriculum

In my opinion the program and the curriculum should be planned and implemented including all the educative community, the needs of students and the context.