HIGH EXPECTATIONS

WHY SHOULD WE AS EFFECTIVE ELT PRACTITIONERS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS?  

I think that students will achieve their goals and improve their knowledge if they realize that I expect the best from them. If I don’t care about them they will ask themselves why they have to succeed since I don’t show interest to help them, I do not make teaching an art to enjoy. So, it is important to have high expectations. 

HOW COME DO WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE THEM TO OUR STUDENTS?

We can communicate that we are really interesting in their learning by:

Encouraging them to do things well

Showing energy when teaching

Making them understand that they are able to go beyond

Giving them support when it is needed

Showing that we really care of them

Not making them to feel embarrassed for something they could not do       

HOW DO WE SUPPORT THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR LEARNING EXPECTATIONS?

Providing feedback

Challenging to better day by day

Involving all of them in practical activities

Putting them in different learning context

Teaching a lesson according to their level

HOW DO WE DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING?

We demonstrate that we are responsible with them when:

We listen to them. (if there is any problem that a student wants to communicate) not only caring about what happens in the classroom but also focusing in their general life

We understand them. When any student presents an argument about some troubles we may assist him.

We have social interaction with them. By treating them friendly

INCLUDE A DAPA OF ONE YOUR LESSONS.

May 26 2011

I greet the class. (From 3:00 to 3:45)

I tell them the topic and write it in the board. “Usage of prepositions of place”

I ask them to answer some questions I write in the board using prepositions of place:

-      Where is the teacher?

-      Where is the mirror?

-      Where is your notebook?

-      Where are your pens?

-      Where are the brooms?

I give them 10 minutes to complete it. However it takes two more minutes.

I start asking the questions to some students. It takes like eight minutes.

I ask to perform the following activity: “order the following words to create a sentence” there are eight statements in disorder. It takes fifteen minutes to be completed by them.

I ask to do it quickly. 

As soon as they finish, I start checking the notebook.

Some students do a good job; the ones who get mistakes have the opportunity to correct it.

The stamp rings and I have to finish the class. I say: “see you next week!”

HOW BENEFICIAL WAS THIS BOOK TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA ON WHAT TEACHING IS ALL ABOUT?

It really is a good book because it provides the effective tools to improve my teaching skills. In my case, it helped during my teaching practicum at school; I could figure out how the profile of an effective teacher should be: role caring, friend, passion when teaching, to respect my students and so on…….. I also learn to have expectations for students, to show that we care of their learning process. There were many challenges during my practicum and sometimes I had to look for some tips in this book and they were helpful for me. I think that this book will continue helping me how to teach since I know that I am still a practitioner with long life learning.

CHAPTER 6

WHAT'S THE RELEVANCE THAT FEEDBACK AND HOMEWORK HAVE FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHERS?

According to the book, educators recognize the important of feedback to students on their work. Feedback helps students to increase their learning outcomes; on the other hand, effective teachers provide specific explanation of what students are doing correctly or what they are not doing correct. For many teachers, feedback is primarily use to correct students, so they avoid indicating right or wrong answers because this can have a negative impact in students learning. Also, according to the book, homework remains an important part in effective teaching when it is used as an extension of the classroom. Many teachers get frustrated when assignments are not completed by the majority of students (that happened to me when just the fifty percent of my students completed the task, horrible!) because if students do not complete their assignments, it is probable that my lesson was not understood. There are three important purposes of homework: practice that is the reinforcement, preparation that exposes a student to a concept, and elaboration that facilitates the exploration of related concepts. However, before assigning homework we must state: the purpose of it, the time, space for it, explain the benefits of it, etc.

WHY DOES ASSESSMENT PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN TEACHING?

Assessment is an important element in the teaching process it helps to determine the effectiveness of a lesson plan in terms of student learning and engagement. Also it is to evaluate student’s progress. Assessment is important in a lesson plan to see if my goals and objectives have been reached; if not we as teachers should think what is wrong in our teaching. Besides, assessment plays an important role in teaching because it is use to monitor students in term of level of knowledge they have grasped so we can know which students are progressing and which are not.

WHAT ARE SOME EFFECTIVE WAYS OF MONITORING STUDENT PROGRESS?

There are many ways to monitor students used by effective teachers. Some techniques (the most important) are: formal and informal assessment, and formative and summative assessment.  Teacher uses informal assessment when they scan and circulate around the classroom to see if students are completing the task or he talks to small groups of students about specific tasks or activities. Teacher uses formal assessment when he elaborates standardized tests, writing activities, or projects. Effective teachers always use tests in class because they know how to interpret and use the information provided by a student in a test.  If the question is incorrect, he determines what was misleading that student to answer wrong.

IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION

BASED ON CHAPTER 5, HOW CAN TEACHERS IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND MAKE THEM CONDUCIVE TO MEANINGFUL LEARNING?

According to the book, the teacher must interact academically with students and with the curriculum.  Here we can link many elements to get effectiveness when teaching: the explanation of the material, the type of question to ask them, or they ask. Also, we as teacher must do activities according to the students needs. Flexibility and adeptness with a variety of strategies also contributes to be effective. It is believed that teachers who use employ a range of strategies reach more students because they tap into more learning styles and students interests. Some strategies are: using of concept mapping, lecturing, hands on learning, conceptualization.  

WHY IS COMMUNICATION OF CONTENT AND SKILLS KNOWLEDGE A CHARACTERISTIC OF GOOD TEACHERS?

 It is a characteristic of effective teachers because it helps students to participate actively in class. The teacher affective characteristics are often of primary concern; teachers must constantly communicate a climate of support, according to the book, to ensure that students participate actively. Effective communication also requires teachers to clearly understand the subject matter and how to share that subject matter with students so Ss understand deeply.

 HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN YOUR OWN TEACHING PRACTICUM, AS THE AGE OF YOUR STUDENTS IS A CRITICAL ONE?

Well, I always try to encourage them to participate even though some of them do not feel like doing anything. I always give them an example first and then they do the rest. For me it is hard to attract their attention because they are always thinking about many things while I am teaching. What I do the most is to acknowledge what is in their mind and it really works a lot whenever they refuse to participate. Then they do it happily. I know it is difficult because of their age but I am learning everyday to manage the class, a large class. 

MY CLASS(video)

Here, students are working in pairs. A semicontrolled practice. I give them a piece of paper which has some drawings that they have to match with the name of the object.(forniture)