It's been two days. But I am still swaying on dry land.
The only position where I don't risk falling or tilting my head or knocking into someone is lying down.
Think I should see a doctor. Ppht.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Learner Centred Environments
Belated post for 17 Dec
On the Cruise, every day you get a Compass newsletter which basically informs you about the day’s activities. This allows the guests to pick and choose what activities they would like to participate in depending on their interest. For instance, I chose jewellery making as well as Cha-cha and Tango lessons. It was nice to be in a position of choice to make your own decisions as to what you would like or not like to do. What about in the classroom? Are we able to provide some variety in the class that would allow the students to choose what or how they would like to learn? I believe that this would be an ideal situation, but would require a great deal of planning on the teachers’ part. Perhaps the load may be lightened with a group of teachers providing different inputs into planning a lesson so as to allow a variety that the students can choose from. I suppose that this would be a modification of Learning Centres in some classrooms. Such a learning environment may be able to interest the students in learning the subject because the learner now assumes responsibility for his own learning when he chooses how he wants to learn the topic at hand.
On the Cruise, every day you get a Compass newsletter which basically informs you about the day’s activities. This allows the guests to pick and choose what activities they would like to participate in depending on their interest. For instance, I chose jewellery making as well as Cha-cha and Tango lessons. It was nice to be in a position of choice to make your own decisions as to what you would like or not like to do. What about in the classroom? Are we able to provide some variety in the class that would allow the students to choose what or how they would like to learn? I believe that this would be an ideal situation, but would require a great deal of planning on the teachers’ part. Perhaps the load may be lightened with a group of teachers providing different inputs into planning a lesson so as to allow a variety that the students can choose from. I suppose that this would be a modification of Learning Centres in some classrooms. Such a learning environment may be able to interest the students in learning the subject because the learner now assumes responsibility for his own learning when he chooses how he wants to learn the topic at hand.
Solid as a Rock
Belated post for 15 Dec
Do you know that my name means “solid as a rock”? It is the feminine version of Peter, who was described as “Cornerstone” in the bible. Question is do I live up to my name? Today, I attempted to climb the rock wall. I use the word “attempted” because I didn’t succeed at reaching to the top to ring the bell. As I think about my experience at the wall, I understand the term “experiential learning” much clearly. I have climbed a rock wall a few times, mostly when I was in my teens. I remember I was fortunate enough to attend a Girls’ Brigade Camp at the Lake District when I was 17 and have the opportunity to climb a real rock face. It was a wet and mossy wall – something I remember quite well because I had moss rubbed onto my clothes as I collided with the wall a few times. As a teacher, I also have opportunity to climb the rock wall vicariously through my students who attempt it at each Sec 3 Bonding Camp. I remember being able to explain the how-tos of rock climbing, ie. Keeping hands above the shoulders so that the weight rests on the legs, using the legs to push instead of arms to pull, keeping the body (esp bum) close to the wall etc. Yet, when I was climbing the wall at Deck 10 of the ship, swaying with the waves, all the theory was thrown out the window –erm, rather thrown off the deck. There you are, hanging on for dear life, muscles screaming, lungs bursting and fingers numbing, I was doing NOTHING that I had thought I understood in theory. I suppose my lack of fitness undermined my attempt at the rock wall, but this reminded me about the need to experience the learning. We all need to experience the learning before we can say with confidence that we have understood something. Hence, this was a reminder that as I plan my lessons for next year, I will provide sufficient practice for my students so that they might have sufficient experience to find success.
Do you know that my name means “solid as a rock”? It is the feminine version of Peter, who was described as “Cornerstone” in the bible. Question is do I live up to my name? Today, I attempted to climb the rock wall. I use the word “attempted” because I didn’t succeed at reaching to the top to ring the bell. As I think about my experience at the wall, I understand the term “experiential learning” much clearly. I have climbed a rock wall a few times, mostly when I was in my teens. I remember I was fortunate enough to attend a Girls’ Brigade Camp at the Lake District when I was 17 and have the opportunity to climb a real rock face. It was a wet and mossy wall – something I remember quite well because I had moss rubbed onto my clothes as I collided with the wall a few times. As a teacher, I also have opportunity to climb the rock wall vicariously through my students who attempt it at each Sec 3 Bonding Camp. I remember being able to explain the how-tos of rock climbing, ie. Keeping hands above the shoulders so that the weight rests on the legs, using the legs to push instead of arms to pull, keeping the body (esp bum) close to the wall etc. Yet, when I was climbing the wall at Deck 10 of the ship, swaying with the waves, all the theory was thrown out the window –erm, rather thrown off the deck. There you are, hanging on for dear life, muscles screaming, lungs bursting and fingers numbing, I was doing NOTHING that I had thought I understood in theory. I suppose my lack of fitness undermined my attempt at the rock wall, but this reminded me about the need to experience the learning. We all need to experience the learning before we can say with confidence that we have understood something. Hence, this was a reminder that as I plan my lessons for next year, I will provide sufficient practice for my students so that they might have sufficient experience to find success.
Teachers and Students are different.
Belated post for 7 Dec
Reading the article by Barry Fraser has made it very clear that one of the things that I NEED to do as a HOD is to conduct one of these Actual and Preferred Environment tests. I am sure that there is a difference between the student and teacher perceptions and I agree that it is important to identify what these differences are so as to help in teacher development as well as increase class achievement. I suspect that some of the teachers in my department are not willing to admit to the problems that they face in the classroom resulting in the results being stuck in a rut. In conducting the assessment, the teachers will be able to reflect upon their teaching and make the necessary interventions to improve the learning environment which will ultimately benefit the teacher when the students being to perform better. As much as students require the continual feedback from the teacher, the teacher should likewise seek feedback so as to further improve the learning environment. This in particular would be useful for new service teachers as mentioned as a possible implication by Fraser. Perhaps the school can look into using this as part of the Structured Induction Programme to help the new teachers manage the learning environment.
Reading the article by Barry Fraser has made it very clear that one of the things that I NEED to do as a HOD is to conduct one of these Actual and Preferred Environment tests. I am sure that there is a difference between the student and teacher perceptions and I agree that it is important to identify what these differences are so as to help in teacher development as well as increase class achievement. I suspect that some of the teachers in my department are not willing to admit to the problems that they face in the classroom resulting in the results being stuck in a rut. In conducting the assessment, the teachers will be able to reflect upon their teaching and make the necessary interventions to improve the learning environment which will ultimately benefit the teacher when the students being to perform better. As much as students require the continual feedback from the teacher, the teacher should likewise seek feedback so as to further improve the learning environment. This in particular would be useful for new service teachers as mentioned as a possible implication by Fraser. Perhaps the school can look into using this as part of the Structured Induction Programme to help the new teachers manage the learning environment.
4th Anniversary
Belated post for 3 Dec
Today I celebrate my 4th Wedding Anniversary… J but not before I had morphed into one of those crazy KS Singapore parents who bring their children to those shows at the mall.. we went for Barney at 2 and Hi5 at Taka at 4pm. Seems my friend queued for Barney since 11.30am.. thankfully when we arrived at Taka, they were just clearing the area for the show, so we managed to a get a floor seat near the stage... I NEVER thought I would be one of those mums.. who knew? At least I am not a full convert since I am not about to wait in line to take a picture with the cast.. I figure it would be a waste of time because once we get to take the picture, Kayla would say "I scared!" and then refuse to take the picture.. lucky for me that she can be scaredy cat at times! :P But that is how we are aren’t we? Afraid of things that are unfamiliar?
Today I celebrate my 4th Wedding Anniversary… J but not before I had morphed into one of those crazy KS Singapore parents who bring their children to those shows at the mall.. we went for Barney at 2 and Hi5 at Taka at 4pm. Seems my friend queued for Barney since 11.30am.. thankfully when we arrived at Taka, they were just clearing the area for the show, so we managed to a get a floor seat near the stage... I NEVER thought I would be one of those mums.. who knew? At least I am not a full convert since I am not about to wait in line to take a picture with the cast.. I figure it would be a waste of time because once we get to take the picture, Kayla would say "I scared!" and then refuse to take the picture.. lucky for me that she can be scaredy cat at times! :P But that is how we are aren’t we? Afraid of things that are unfamiliar?
Girls are Princesses, Boys are Superheroes
Belated post for 2nd Dec (post 2)
I was re-reading the article and thinking about Kayla. Perhaps it is really true about how young children are capable of sophisticated levels of thinking and reasoning when they have the necessary knowledge… I wonder how often have I underestimated her ability to understand things… Being the only child and only grandchild, she is pretty much in the world of adults. She picks up comments and understands nuances so clearly. The other day, she commented, “Girls are Princesses and boys are Superheroes”. When I asked her if Papa was a Superhero, she very confidently said, “No.” When questioned why, she replied, “because Papa is not a boy.” I have no idea when anyone would have taught her the difference between a boy and a man, but she knows. That’s why she was sure in her reasoning that Papa could not be a Superhero. Another colleague of mine was also floored when her pre-school student corrected her when she used “Hippo” instead of “Hippopotamus” when talking to the class. What this means is that we have to adjust our expectations of our students to expect more of them and not to assume that they are only capable of to the degree of their T-score. This will in turn affect our interactions with them and most definitely affect their expectations of themselves.
P.S Kayla watches A LOT of TV. I hope that Wright and Hudson are right about her future performance in school…. But I promise I will spend time watching with her so as to guide her and provide a suitable commentary to help her develop her understanding of what she is watching… J
I was re-reading the article and thinking about Kayla. Perhaps it is really true about how young children are capable of sophisticated levels of thinking and reasoning when they have the necessary knowledge… I wonder how often have I underestimated her ability to understand things… Being the only child and only grandchild, she is pretty much in the world of adults. She picks up comments and understands nuances so clearly. The other day, she commented, “Girls are Princesses and boys are Superheroes”. When I asked her if Papa was a Superhero, she very confidently said, “No.” When questioned why, she replied, “because Papa is not a boy.” I have no idea when anyone would have taught her the difference between a boy and a man, but she knows. That’s why she was sure in her reasoning that Papa could not be a Superhero. Another colleague of mine was also floored when her pre-school student corrected her when she used “Hippo” instead of “Hippopotamus” when talking to the class. What this means is that we have to adjust our expectations of our students to expect more of them and not to assume that they are only capable of to the degree of their T-score. This will in turn affect our interactions with them and most definitely affect their expectations of themselves.
P.S Kayla watches A LOT of TV. I hope that Wright and Hudson are right about her future performance in school…. But I promise I will spend time watching with her so as to guide her and provide a suitable commentary to help her develop her understanding of what she is watching… J
How much do I care?
Belated post for 2nd Dec
Time to catch up with my readings… I was reading about the Learner Centered Environments and how “accomplished teachers give learners reason by respecting and understanding learners’ prior experiences and understandings, assuming that these can serve as a foundation on which to build bridges to new understandings.” For some reason, this reminded me of the quote, ‘They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ I suppose because it’s a reminder that if we do not keep in mind the learner and embrace what he or she brings to the class, they will never want to share what they have with the class. Imagine if each child can share one new thing they have learnt with the class of forty… it will be no time that each child would have learnt 39 other new things because we each have different experiences and perspectives. Powerful.
I am also going to ESSS the author’s not about how to teach algebra where students devise their own symbols to describe their own situations before teaching the class about the actual algebraic expressions… I bet the teachers in my school don’t teach algebra this way!
Another thing that I would like to introduce to my department is that of self-critique rubrics as part of formative assessments for the students. This will help them to provide feedback for themselves and their peers to learn more effectively. This would also help to develop the independent learners that are essential for the 21st century.
Time to catch up with my readings… I was reading about the Learner Centered Environments and how “accomplished teachers give learners reason by respecting and understanding learners’ prior experiences and understandings, assuming that these can serve as a foundation on which to build bridges to new understandings.” For some reason, this reminded me of the quote, ‘They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ I suppose because it’s a reminder that if we do not keep in mind the learner and embrace what he or she brings to the class, they will never want to share what they have with the class. Imagine if each child can share one new thing they have learnt with the class of forty… it will be no time that each child would have learnt 39 other new things because we each have different experiences and perspectives. Powerful.
I am also going to ESSS the author’s not about how to teach algebra where students devise their own symbols to describe their own situations before teaching the class about the actual algebraic expressions… I bet the teachers in my school don’t teach algebra this way!
Another thing that I would like to introduce to my department is that of self-critique rubrics as part of formative assessments for the students. This will help them to provide feedback for themselves and their peers to learn more effectively. This would also help to develop the independent learners that are essential for the 21st century.
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