A BIG LAUGH:WEEK TEN

THE TERM IS OVER

What started as an endless journey has finally come to an end. I will not cry nor mourn for this is not love gone sour nor a marriage gone to the rocks. This was a ‘pass out’ parade for sterling soldiers ready for battle. The tough training has made me hardened and skilful in jungle manoeuvres. Yes, I am a soldier ready for battle.

Indeed I found the course challenging and terribly tough and at the initial stages I wondered whether I was doing the right thing or simply wasting my precious time and sweet sleep. I used to wake up at 4.00 am or earlier to read things that I hardly understood. My problem was compounded when colleagues asked me what I was doing and I found it hard to explain.  Was this course going to bring me promotion? They teased me. Ironically, the more they teased me the more I felt the urge to forge ahead .I started working with my laptop in the office any time I was free and my departmental colleagues started appreciating the gravity of the matter and thought maybe some promotion was imminent.

The good thing about the course is that one does not need to be an expert in computer -to echo Robert’s words- as long as one has friends to consult. Robert was a big inspiration- a teacher par excellence. The classmates were selfless and shared their knowledge freely and all one was required to do was read comments from those in the know and get the right direction. It was very wise of Robert and University of Oregon to admit students of different levels of technology qualifications for as they say a blind cannot help a blind to cross a road.

To new students my advice is; the road may be bumpy but as long as there are Roberts behind the steering, there is nothing to fear.

My final words: I will not regret going for nights without sleep and skipping lunch sometimes, for I am now ‘reborn’.

Thank s to Robert and the university,

 Thanks to all colleagues for being wonderful sons and daughters of God

God bless all.

9Th WEEK - THE WEEK OF STYLES

This week was a bit relaxed as compared to week 8. There was a lot of learning especially from the passages provided. Dr Howard Gardner deserves a big pat on his back for coming up with the various learning styles which, were teachers to follow them faithfully, we would never lose potentially bright students. Howard says that we have all the intelligences but no two people are exactly alike.

Any experienced teacher must know that we have all types of intelligence in our classes and it is our duty and obligation to nurture them to make responsible future citizens. This can be enhanced by application of the right tools as suggested by Gardner. Teachers can identify the students’ intelligences to determine the appropriate styles to use and the appropriate technological tools befitting each individual. Using well balanced styles is the best way to produce credible results.

We also learned about different types of learners namely; reflective/active, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal and sequential/global learners. With this knowledge, we can easily understand how to handle our students.

PEER-READING

The online peer reading is a very innovative  way of making it possible for learners to read, comment and correct each other’s work without face to face meeting. We see technology making the world smaller by making me communicate with someone in Venezuela and South Africa as if they were just next door.

I found this process very valuable because it helped us to exchange intelligences and one cannot help to see as Patu says, that some people are more intelligent than others. The process helped to create a bond between peer readers (as Carol says).Let me also quote Panida who feels that getting feedback from two or three people can establish our writing confidence. At least we were able to apply one learning style: interpersonal learning style.

WHAT A WEEK IT WAS

Welcome week ten, eagerly waiting

week 8 learning

WEEK 8 EXPERIENCE

This was the most difficult week for me so far. I took many hours before joining class discussion owing to pressure of work. First there was the draft project to submit and by the beginning of the week it was far from completion but finally I managed to e-mail it.

Next came the weekly tasks which I started dealing with mid week. It took me some time to really understand what Jeff was talking about. The Voiceboards and how it works was totally new to me. Accessing the video clips was also impossible as my Flash player was dead. I had to seek assistance   and when I finally played them, wow, it was hilarious. This was a great tool that will take us many miles in improving teaching especially in teaching of speaking and listening. This will help improve pronunciation greatly but of course for those teachers who have the right tools in their institutions. Personally I don’t have them in my school.

Assessment tools are another area that was inspiring. I found this area very useful as one can set tests and exercises online. Learner autonomy will be encouraged through this technology but of course with teachers’ guidance.

As we approach the final the stretch, I hope things will be a little friendly so that the course can close with a climax. It will be another week of the final project.

Le’s meet next week friends

WEEK 7:Learner Autonomy and one computer class

LEARNER AUTOOMYN

This week I have learned tha teachers are unanimous about learner autonomy. I am encouraged to know that teachers all over the world  want to stop  spoon feeeding students  and  make them more independent in carrying out various tasks. The idea of constructivism again came out this week.We neeed to build students who have self esteem,who can believe in themselves and a student who is a finished product so that after school he/she can readily get integrated in the wider society.

The wisdom behind ecouraging learner autonomy is among other things to make the learner self-reliant and reduce dependence  on the teacher.If well implemented, learner autonomy will reduce the teacher into a counsellor or mananger whose work is to oversee performance of tasks.But this should not create skivers among us teachers.Our new role is to provide materials and resources to help learners become autonomous.

Literature teachers should allow learners to think for themselves rather than force them to think in a particular way learners should be given freedom to analyse a novel and give it interpretation based on their experience. This will develope ceitical thinking in our students .LET'S NOT CREATE ROBOTS.

For young children, teacher's presence is still necessary  in order to keep checks on what they as these kids' minds are not fully developed, but this does not mean they cannot accomplish tasks on their own. We are advised to start encouraging autonomy early so that our students grow with it.

ONE COMPUTER CLASS
One does not need 100 computers to teach afer all. This was another great learning this week. A school needs just a simple computer lab and with the help of a duty rota, every teacher can access the computers. Some teachers have tried it and it has worked. It is an idea I feel I must try.It is also worth noting that with one or a hundred computers, the teacher remains the 'best computer'.

I've read classsmates' posts and I  admit they are steps ahead  of some of us.Those like me who are not advantaged to have some of these technologies, should take consolation that it starts somewhere and soon we shall be there. I got useful encouragement from some classmates and  I'm very greatful for their willingness to share their experiences.

Robert deserves commendations for selecting very helpful articles for the week. I'm sure they will be useful even after the course.

I wish everyone a successful week 9, karibu sana(welcome)

Interactive week

Week six means yet another tremendous busy but fruitful week. The articles for the week were carefully chosen and bravo to Robert and his team.

How to handle the large classes in any institution of any level is a big challenge for many teachers. Many have resorted to lecturers where the teacher/lecturer talks to himself because students are doing their own businesses like making noise or discussing unrelated issues. At the end no learning takes place although there is some teaching. This week’s learning has offered a very crucial way out of this bad teaching. Teachers should involve students through interactive teaching. Teachers cannot afford to assume the role of an auto pilot who sometimes lets the plane fly on its own. For effective teaching to take place both the students and the teachers must participate fully.

The idea of PPT is also very important to me. The readings for the week provided us with very effective guidelines on how to create a Power point. I have also learned that the PPT show should not replace the teacher. The teacher still occupies a far much superior position compared to the PPT. Although personally I have not been using it I now have a good reason to pressure the administration to buy necessary gadgets.

WEEK FIVE LEARNING

It was a week full of new ideas. The first one, Project-Based Learning ( PBL) started off well with Susan Gaer's article which was not only overwhelmingly educative and creative but also very interesting. Susan's idea of cooking and integrating culture factor in teaching is very creative. Using this method will motivate nearly every student including those who hate schooling.

I had a hectic time creating web quests and rubrics. These two concepts are new to me. After a long struggle I managed to come up with a rubric based on class presentation of a dramatised poem ( up to this time I am still struggling to come with a web quest) The objective of this presentation is to access a number of abilities including use of paralinguistic. The process gives students a chance to decide what abilities they want assessed. They will also participate in evaluating themselves and to critique their classmates instantly.

Use of technology in classroom will go a long way in improving learning of English. Although we don't intend to create English men and women out of our students, every available technology should be employed to make them good speakers and if possible make careers out of it. We can make international movie stars, great motivational speakers or celebrated broadcasters. Use of Cd's on recorded popular speeches and movies will do the trick.

Eagerly waiting for week Six.

Week 4 Experience October 31st 2010

LESSON PLAN GOES TECHNOLOGICAL

What a week that was. A week of lesson planning, writing and expanding the world of grammar. A week that reminded me of what teachers in my school loathe most: preparing lesson plans. The reason behind this unprofessional attitude is monotony it has. Why, after teaching for ten years, should teachers torture themselves with writing lesson plans? They ask. Now with the new approach that incorporates technology, this attitude is likely to go.

Students too are not amused by long lectures in English learning and writing. Visiting sites suggested this week gives learning some newness which might turn round the retrogressive way of reasoning.

It is a week that leaves me rejuvenated, more enriched but thirstier for more. It is a week that unearthed hidden treasurers in the world of teaching. I have benefited a lot from other teachers in this class. How I wish this course were a routine repeated so often. Perhaps Maria Silva's colleagues need such a course to change the attitude.

Writing, Grammar, Vocabulary

Krajka's article opens another known route to me. Writing is given a new lease of life. It's handled in an impressive way where all the genres of writing have been given enough space hence teachers will raise their stock if they visit these sites purposively. Lots of materials that are authentic and real are a big boost to all language teachers. I know I have a dependable companion in these sites.

Reading:

Giving students freedom to choose books is a great idea but they need teachers to supervise them. Through group discussions students will lean a lot from one another. Use of e-book method and discussing stories on line is a great idea.

It feels nice to know we are just halfway the course yet we have learned a lot. This week’s experience will make me remind the school administration to operationalize the working of the internet in the school