Self and peer evaluation

Teaching a class is not a piece of cake, when the teacher wants to teach something new or relevant for learners. I am Jackeline Martinez,  I am studying English for teaching at Univerdad Don Bosco, I am in the fifth year of my degree even, I never have taught English at any place this year, I am taking a class relate to this field, the name of this subject is Teaching Practicum II. Therefore, this will be my closer teaching experience before finishing my studies at the first moment, I thought this class going to be meaningful and interesting for me on the other hand, some doubts came to my mind because in previous classes we used PPP and PDP framework, but our mentor told us that we will use the ECRIF framework, Being that, I was not only confused with this new teaching style, but also I was not clear how to apply some activities and why, the process was too long because of the five stages that take place on ECRIF that’s why, it was hard to work with all stages. Nervertheless, went through this process leads me that the practice will be my ally also I realized that this framework is more flexible than others whereas, ECRIF is based on learners needs not teacher`s so we can say that it does not matter, going back by stages many times to clarify until students understand.

I got some own examples of that, I remember my first taught class it was about Animals, but my aim goal was teach students fours prepositions on, in, next to and under, all material were carefully prepared however, when I was teaching in the encounter and clarify stages I explained vocabulary and the prepositions used nonetheless, in remember stage my stundets were not totally clear with prepositions in and on so, I decided to going back to clarify statge to make my stundets undertand the difference between them, I using a little gorrila bear and box making mimics with my hands finally stundets understood. My second example is related to same class, I remember that I was teaching writing skill, duing the class I used a projector to show the structure of the question and answer that will be used in whole class here is,  where is the leopard? It is in braches tree hence, students will practice in internalize and fluenty use stages, but they had some problem to get the structure statement so, I went back to clarify stage for a while to be explained again.

Even Though, there were some difficulties such as how the instructions were asked to make any activity, the feedback from our mentor helped me a lot because in this difficult, I decided to providing short commands and activities instructions not all at the same time.

Perhaps, one of the most common difficulty was how to teach writing without ask students to write down on their notebook because this skill sometime could be boring for teenagers. I think that is needed to see students necessities also update our knowleged because nowadays, there is such an important ally for teachers which internet tool, so I took into account the mentor's recommendation to make students writing using an interest factor less stressfull for them for instance, getting groups to create a short story in a paper or as some other classmates did, asking to our students write a short whatsapp conversation using a paper with phone form printed on it. In spite of course`s time, I could see all of my classmates improved in many teaching field however, I want to share my viewpoint of  Krisia’s  performance forasmuch, all of her classes were getting better and better beause at the first one, she should improve her class of management for example some activities were kind of the same, but in two last classes all her activities were varied such as Mario Bros and whatsapp activies, which were very dinamic and funny for students. Besides, her manner to teach changed in a way, because she was more happy, relax, and less shy so I pretty much sure she could overcome some difficulties learning a lot experience.

To conclude, I can  truly said that as first time in font of tenegers it was an unforgetable experience for me since, I learned a lot of thing for instance, how to use ECRIF which is better that other teaching methods in my own opinion, how to teach only to teenagers and how to management a class. Hence, Teaching Practicum II gave me great memories also lessons of my mentor’s and classmates feedback, that helped me to see if I achieved my goal in each class but I think even a goal is not fulfilled achieved it could be useful in a way for example; to improve things that should be and keep on practicing those strenghts as teachers due to we need to look for our own style. thus, all lessons are effectively disigned for achieving a goal because using ECRIF is not only teach a class it is teach something that can be used in real world. Finally, I could say that I achieved my goals even not all of the aim, but some parts were achieved because I still learning this is not all however, now for example students can understand some command only in English, they learned strutures of some tenses and new vocabulary that is ready to be put out.

Physical and Psychosocial Development in Teenagers

Teenagers undergo physical and psychosocial changes to develop as human beings even, sometimes for adults it can be hard to figure out this process. This week Monday 26^th and Wednesday 28^th, 2016 we studied about this development on teens not only to know what it is about, but also to understand why. After, researched some information now I could say that figure out this development which is a hard process that takes place during adolescence. To mention some of those changes the first one is the physical development that triggers puberty by hormonal changes that also can affect moods and behavior that occurs between the ages of 12 and 13. The second one is psychosocial that comes with many factors on it for example, according to Erick Erikson during this period adolescents are searching for an identity versus identity confusion. Moreover, during psychosocial development relationships are so important for teens especially friends, lovers however, family interactions are more conflicted because teens are looking their autonomy or independency. Therefore, now I figure out why teens act like that they can do everything in the world, they do not cares about relate with relatives thus, how easy can be influenced by their group of friends, so it could be negative because according to AAP Gateway, adolescents who are rejected by their peers tend to have the greatest adjustment problems finally, why they are interested in intimacy with others. To be aware of those changes and teens development brings to my mind some memories of my adolescence, I remember that I always suffered because of pimples and I was so shy to show up in front of others thus, I remember that I was so nervous because of menstruation when I heard my friends talk about it. Hence, I consider that adolescence is a difficult period on life because teens are so worried what friends will think about of them, teens do not who they are and want to know their role on society, their brain is mixed of many things, beliefs, doubts, and worries.

On the other hand, this period of time could be an excellent field to mark their life and as future teacher I would like to help my students not only those shy but also, those extroverts. My action plan will be integrate to teens with others but not in a mandatory way due to teens love relationships, inform them for being aware about this period and development, not only state that they are adolescent and left them there, but also help them to figure out their role on society and how important are as human begins. I think that as teachers with have commitments with teens to help for searching the best inside of them because they always do not know what they want, teachers can guide them. What I like the most with people is let to choose, teachers can encourage to awareness on teens that always is important limits and rules that help us live better with others.  

References

Online Learning Center (mheducation.com)

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP gateway)

Meeting and dealing with the changes in the brain of a teenager

To know what is going on brains of teenagers is such an interesting thing. On Monday 18^th my perspective about changes on brains of teenagers were totally different like I think now, I believed that those changes and behaviors  were influenced by their adolescences` hormones due to low and high output of hormones. That`s why, I was not sure what cause teens behave with intense emotions, without consider risks and so on. Thus, I did not know what was related on brain changes, in which case neither teenagers are not aware to response on it. 

However, after read some articles I could understand that brain changes take place by many factors such as personal history, family, friends, community, and culture. Therefore, Scientists emphasize that teens brains is in transition period, in other words teens are confronted dependence to independence transition so during this period teens can explore and experiment to interconnected changes on their brain where never missing intense emotions for instance impulsiveness, peer pleasure that friends can also provide. Until now, I realized that it is normal act like that but adults and specially teacher should figure out how face this crucial period with them.

 To conclude, my expectations for working with teens are understand that those changes are normal even though, as future teachers need to limits their behavior and I think the best may is negotiate and provide some rules to combine our maturity with them since, teens can be aware and work better with those critical changes. Moreover, I consider that in classroom teachers can take advantage of their interesting to know new things also exploiting their engaging to learn about music, sport, languages, and some other interests so my main expectation is be aware to figure out changes on brain of teens. 

Reference

National Institute of Mental Health 
www.livescience.com 

Final blog

The education is a great thing in society because of share knowledge to others that’s why is important to take into account how needed is, knowing how to teach.  From the first class to the last class I could understand the importance of teach to increase teacher and student knowledge not only teach just for teach because every part of the class has such importance; in which every activity should have a goal to achieve. Even thought, there are some details to improve such as lost nerves while speaking in front of others, behave like our group if we are teaching kids being like them that’s why, with children is important the enthusiastic. Therefore, I could say that in my first class I was not too much confident and confortable with kids at the end I enjoyed teaching to children on the other hand, the last class helped me to understand that we are the model to kids they learn how we teach because I remembered when our teacher corrected our pronunciation in a word then, I realized students learn what teachers taught them and how, I felt responsible about that mispronunciation that my students will do I hope they can improve it. To conclude, I want to learn and be better with every feedback that I had after every class, to be an excellent teacher to my students  
  

Blog 6

Teaching a class in different framework objective allows increase students’ knowledge in other skills. Second group presented same topic “The professions” focus on teaching writing and reading known as PPP lesson hence, as presentation stage some flashcards using a flipchart were presented to students who learned how to write eight name of professions in a visual way but during practice stage students showed what they have learned thru an activity of organize some pieces of paper making sentences then reading in front of other classmates what was amazing see students’ perform because they not only could remember profession, but also they could organized making use of third person for example She wants to be vet.  Moreover, a similar activity were done during production stage being that students wrote down in  a whiteboard without see sentence structure and read aloud in front of other to check it was correct. Finally, what I could say is that was a great joyfulness to saw our students producing sentences and mention at least 6 name of profession thus, they learned how to write them and pronounce as well. Teaching to kids is not easy but is very satisfactory see students’ accomplishment in skills like speaking or writing and some others.

Blog 5

The way to present a topic to kids is a big deal because it is needed to catch students’ attention. On Monday group number one presented the profession’s topic which was interesting to children due to realia therefore, group performed using real objects and examples that gave students better idea what the topic was about. In the class eight professions were presented such as actor, policeman, fireman, teacher, singer, and soccer player. During presentation Eunice showed students some flashcards with profession on them, explained how student needs to pronounce that’s why, students repeated until got correct pronunciation of each profession. On the other hand, in during stage because framework of the class was PDP students should have listen some audios but group continued with same activity only repeat profession which was not wrong at all but maybe to change a little should be better performed using CD player. However, students engaged to the post stage without any problem because they proof what have learned, answering thus, children learned name of profession and could mention at least five of them. To conclude, I think there are some details to improve as future teacher hence, these practicums help us to increase or knowledge and I could say that our students are learning and enjoy every class that I could see on students faces when they sang the ending song every child can sing without the lyrics thus, students were very cheerful and interested as well. 

Blog 4

The last group of this week was Susana’s group, their class was so funny I could see on students faces how they enjoyed every activity. This group performed an interesting topic which was about places in our town for example; bus station, gas station, school, hospital, park and restaurant. Teachers use vocabulary under the question Is there a gas station and students should answer Yes, there is or No there is not. It is needed to mention that teacher’s framework was PDP because in during stage Susana played an audio to students identified some vocabulary words before mentioned hence, I could see students response to this stage because audio was a little fast but they could identify each word thus, in the activity that students played was very amazing not only because students enjoyed playing, but also because they answered each question that Susana asked them for instance, Is there a school? Furthermore, Jose’s performed was so relevant to students keep on practicing the topic, and his activity engaged student a lot because they were interested in participate on it. This activity involved whole class where students were divided in two group, instructions were clear students chose a ball with a number on it and throw a dice so look for the correct place in a map and if there is a question answer it. To concluded, what I think class was excellent because students were engaged to learn and actually they did it because at the end with the wrap up they did very well, they knew vocabulary and how to answer as well that’s why I consider this group achieved their goal. Students were able to ask the question is there …? And answer yes/ no there is ... using vocabulary.