Final experience. Practicum II

Hello everyone. It is such a blessing to be here again writing down all my thoughts about my experience in my Practicum II (with teens). And now I am about to share with you or at least try to do it because I think words are not enough to express all what I felt during the last ten weeks how this time teaching and interacting with real students was. I want to start by saying that I never imagined it would be the most wonderful time I have had teaching.

 One of my favorite things was all the support I received from my tutor Lisania Torres. She was definitely a very important part in my developement as a TA. She instructed me what to do and I am sure she is the best example and model I could follow in my future classes. It is funny and shameful at the same time, but I also learn how to use the CD-player with her because I did not have idea how to se it in  my listening class. Can you imagine this situation?

At the begining of this amazing experience I was nervous and a little bit worried thinking if teens would like me or accept me. I was also thinking about their behavior, but then I wonder how good guys they are. As a  personal joke I thought: they are not “normal teens” because I was waiting for bad behavior, cries, talks in class, interruptions as all teens do, but it was not like that. Students get and follow all the instructions easily, and help to have a good environment of learning in the class. I already know that in other experiences with kids will probably not be the same and I will have to deal with different situations, and be ready to solve them, but at least in this one (the first experience with teens) I enjoy and learn at the same time with them. Yes! I learn too. It is wonderful how this works beacuse when I was getting ready to each intervention I was also teaching to myself new vocabulary, ways to give instructions, how to use the material in the class, having a good arrangement, etc.

Now, I can say that in my experience students showed just some of the characteristics I studied during the first weeks of this course about adolescents. Then, I realized that their ages also play an important role, and of course, the fact that they have an scholarship, and they must do their best in order to keep it. Another thing I liked the most about these guys was how good they work together. They are all hardworking, disciplined, and responsible students. It is one of the biggest characteristics of the group.

After sharing with you all this, I also want to let you know my experience infront of the whole class. First, you have to know that I had exactly five participations in which I was receiving feedback from each of them at the end of the class, but there were just two evaluated classes for me. As it is normal and you have noticed it, I was nervous at the begining of each participation, but students were such “angels” that helped me to follow and do all the activities I planed without any inconvenient. I felt I was accepted by the students since the first momento because I could see in their eyes that they were so willing and eager to know how it would be to have a new face in class as I was for sharing all what I know. It was splendid when they started calling me “teacher” because then I did consider myself as a real teacher with a real classroom and real students.

When I was teaching, it is true that I did not feel that sure about myself but as time was passing I take more confidence and control of my own class. By the end of each participation I was able to explain myself, and make my students to learn and achieve their objectives by guiding them as a good facilitator.

 But as in everything there is always a good way to do something, and for this we need to have things to improve, things that did not work as we expected. That is why I want to list the positive and negative aspects about my experience.

Positive aspects:

-to interact with real students

-to have the participations with the class

-to see how the tutor teaches a class

-to write down what the tutor does in a real class

Negative aspects:

-the time. (We could see students just on Saturdays)

-and because of the time it was difficult to plan with the tutor what to do in the next class. It was hard to do it by social networks.

Finally, I just want to thank to every single person that makes this possible, and that helps us (teacher assistants) to have such experiences in order to know and contemplate that for which we are being prepared.

Second class (Sept. 10th)

 Hello dear readers. Today I want to share with you the second excited Saturday with the Teaching Practicum II. You are right, I am talking about the Practicum with “teenagers” which I consider my “best school” to learn how to become a better teacher. I want to start by saying that I enjoy every moment whit this 16 students and their occurrences and of course with my tutor, who is a creative and funny young lady.

In this class, as it is usual, my tutor started with the community building. The teacher asked them to make a table and divide it into 9 squares on their notebooks, so they could write down the name of animals in each square, and if they had the animal mentioned by the teacher they had to cross it out until one student had no one to scream: “Animal Bingo”. Everyone was expecting what the teacher would say, even me, so I would like to do it with my own students.

After this, before reading the chapter, she asked them to answer some questions about the previous class, so they could activate squemata to get ready for the following reading section. I considered that the teacher wanted to check how much students learn what I think it is more than important. Then, students were asked to ask one each other some questions related with the new topic and give their opinions. The topic was related with the Trauma that people can have when they are foreigners in any country. I would just modify a little bit this activity. I think it is better that after one student gives his opinion ask to the rest what they think, so we can have more details and ideas.

Also, a video with interviews about students in foreign countries was shown, so
students could take notes about what they were able to listen. I liked it because I could see how students were paying attention to every detail, and how they would give their answers. I think that this was a good activity because they were using most of the skills like: listening, writing, and reading. Another activity was to match expressions with their meanings. I liked it mostly when I realized that I was participating by giving my matching, too. This was a good way to engage students with the topic, so when they had to read, they would understand better. Then, students read a second set of paragraphs (taking time) and then they answer some of the questions on their books.

But what I enjoyed the most was when I performed a role play with one of the students. It is supposed that I was a exchange student from the USA and the other girl was a citizen and she helped me with some information to had a good time in El Salvador. I was very excited and I could see how students were looking at me curiously. Then I helped reading some phrases, and students had to put the phrases (the ones they had in pieces of paper) with the corresponding verb. I liked that to make the pairs the teacher gave us litter pieces of paper with a number, so the one who had the same number should be a pair. I also learned that technology helps a lot because students used their phones to take time while they were reading.

As a conclusion, I think you will not read in my blogs anything negative or that I would not an activity, and I say this because my tutor is very creative and there are moments in which my notebook is not enough to write down every single detail. I will learn a lot in this stage of my Major. I am proud of everything because I am doing my best.

First class (Sept. 3rd)

Hello. I am very enthusiastic for writing you about my first practicum experience with teenagers. It is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to share a good time and learn with a group of 16 students and with an amazing young  lady as my tutor who, since the first time, was gentle and attentive with me. She introduced me with the whole class, and let me give them some words. I explained that I am in my fourth year of languages for teaching, and that nowadays, I am taking the practicum II subject, and that was the reason why I was assigned to be with them  in that classroom. Honestly, I was kind of nervous, and it was not because I considered myself without the necessary skills to be there, but because I wanted to give my best impression. And you know what? I did it! You will see later why I say this when you read the rest of my great first day.

Firstable, the teacher  started with the community building activity. Students were asked to write down 3 different categories for example: food, verbs, and countries. They had to write the largest group of words in each category in 30 secods. The first thing that came to my mind was I would love this activity if I were the student. It was a good idea to use our brains in such activity too wake up all senses. The second activity was even better than the first one because the teacher pasted three different images embossed, so students could tell what they see first. This can be better explained with the following picture.

I would do the same  activity, but I just will change the size and color of each image, and I am pretty sure my students would love it. After this, the teachers showed a video in which students could watch 10 mind illusions (twice) and take notes about the most interesting one. In the same activity they answered questions related with the  video. The questions were simple but clear with necessary information before starting the reading. Then, the teacher presented some new vocabulary, so students could match them with their synonims.

What I like the most is that students are counscious about their own learning. They follow perfectly each instruction, and this makes easier  the delivery of the class. Another activity that made me think that it was a good way for students to read was when they were asked to take  out their phones to take the time before they read. I was wonder how students were actively participating in all the activity. I definately would do this activity with my own students. students had also some picture to interact and give their points of view, and everything was related with the  topic. I just would like students to stand up to share their ideas.

Finally, students were asked to stand up because they were bored, so the teacher considered proper to make a game, so they could laugh and  have fun. I loved when the teacher noticed that students were tired of being sitting (because I could notice it, too). She made a game with physical movements. A teacher needs to stop a class if the students are not concentrated. That was for  me the most meaningful in that class.

Error analysis

Error analysis exercise experience

Hello everyone. I feel excited for writing you and for letting you know about some things I have been doing recently. Firstable, I want to tell you that my classmates and I were asked to make an exercise that consisted in writing down in two different columns:

1.     The things that I wrote.

2.     The things I should have written.

In a table, I was supposed to analyze what I wrote in order to fix any grammar mistake, so you readers can be able to read exactly my thoughts. And to be honest, I was very interesting in being capable to express myself clearly.

Personally, I consider this activity was very useful for me because even though it is important when others give us feedback, I believe that it is even more regarding when by ourselves, we can analyze what we are doing in any activity. At first, I have to say that it was very “Hard” because it was not an easy job, but when you have a guide (teacher) with you, telling you step by step what you must do, the activity becomes possible to perform. In my case, my teacher sent me a set of my own phrases in which were not that clear, so I had to look for fixing them. I felt proud and satisfied when I reread the things that I wrote on my blog entries, and mostly when I was able to find the mistakes.

I totally believe in this activity as a good way for students to build their own knowledge and develop their thinking skills because it happened to me. I definitely would do the same activity with my students. It is just necessary to take a short time to verify what we do in an activity, and to be open minded that there is always a better way to do something.

This the table with his corresponding corrections:

I WROTE	I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN_____BECAUSE
1.       And I am saying this because when I first heard the word I thought in the same	And I am saying this because when I first heard the word mentioned before, I thought about the same.
2.       In order to know more about teens, and get engage_ with this topic	In order to know more about teens, and get engaged with this topic
3.       I go through many online sites to look for all kind of relevant information because I did not have any idea about this topic	I went through many online sites to look for all kind of relevant information related with teenagers because I did not have any idea about this topic
4.       In this stage they use to ask themselves questions like “Who am I”?	In this stage they usually ask themselves questions like “Who am I”?
5.       because they have just started to judge the way they are treat_ and guide_.	because they have just started to judge the way they are treated and guided.
6.       a great opportunity not to interference in the process	a great opportunity to not to interference in the process
7.       so if the teacher works with them___	so if the teacher works together with the students
8.       so they can feel that the teacher is not the “boss” in the grade but a friend who listens to them	so they can feel the that the teacher is not the “boss” in the classroom but a friend who listens to them
9.       there is something else that take_ place in this situation	there is something else that takes  place in this situation
10.     In this stage teenagers have develop_ an ability to reason	In this stage teenagers have developed  an ability to reason
11.   rules but the rule of the group they think they belong__.	rules but the rule of the group they think they belong to
12.   what  is going on whit them	what is going on with them
13.   we will be able to find the answers of  questions related with the teens’ behave	we will be able to answer questions related with the teens’ behavior
14.   which cannot be very pleasure  for them	which cannot be very pleasant for them
15.   I aslo spect at the end of this course	I also expect at the end of this course
16    I looked  some information for  the University	I looked for some information about the University

Psychosocial development

Just before starting, I want to clarify that I will not talk about any mental disorder, even though, the syllables “Psycho” could let you think about that. And I am saying this because when I first heard the word, I thought in the same. Actually, it is more related with socialize, be part of a group, and others. In order to know more about teens, and get engage with this topic, I go through many online sites to look for all kind of relevant information because I did not have an idea about this topic. I even asked teachers at the university what they understood or knew about psychosocial development. I am sure that you want to know what I found, that is why I will let you know.

I learned that the term psychosocial is related to the process in which adolescents are trying to find their identities. In this stage they use to ask themselves questions like “Who am I”? and “Why I look like this and not like that”?, and of course they are looking for the answer of those questions. And this is completely normal; they just need to be guided to get an answer to all their questions. Adolescents are in an environment, and they, as every human being, need to socialize with others with the same characteristics, but for them this can be a big issue. It is also known that the context of the adolescent will have a big influence in their development socializing with their peers. The different contexts in which they will have the opportunity of socializing are the school, clubs, church, friends, and family. All these places can help the adolescent to find their identity, but sometimes they can face some difficulties like not being taken into account in certain groups or clubs they want to. It is normal that they want to talk, dress, and act just like the group where they are. In this stage they will not follow parents’ rules because they have just started to judge the way they are treat and guide.

What I see in this stage is a great opportunity not to interference in the process, but to look for activities in which students can create relationships among them. As a teacher, I consider I must have the creativity at the time of planning because it is important to take into account all about teenagers. Like in every group, there is a leader that everyone will follow, so if the teacher work with them, it is almost possible that the entire class will follow the instructions during the lesson. I also believe that as a teacher it is important to interact with students to know their strengths and weaknesses, so they can feel that the teacher it is not the “boss” in the grade but a friend who listen to them when they need it. They need to know that for as they are very important, and let them see that together we can have a better and different nation if we learn to have healthy interrelationships.

                                           

                                          References

McLeod, S., (2008).Symply Psychology. Retrieved: from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Cognitive development of teenagers

As I said in the last topic, I tend to judge and critize what teenagers do not or do “wrong”, but at this point you have noticed that there is something else that take place in this situation. However, now I will not talk about physical but changes talking about how teens use their logic. One of my favorite researchers and specialists is Jean Piaget, but there were some others like Erik Erickson and Robert Selman that have been studying the areas of cognitive and the social relationships of teens in the adolescence period. I do not want you to get bored with all this theories, but to analize the process in this stage of life in order to help boys and girls replacing they status to feel the way they feel.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2014) identity, peer pressure, and self-esteem are the three most important aspects in the adolescence. In this stage teenagers have develop an ability to reason and have a complex thinking than when they were children in which they just could think in concrete operations, the things that they could see and touch. There are many wonderful things for example in this stage they can participate giving their opinions and sharing their points of view, but there are also some things which they can struggle with like peer pressure, identity, and self-esteem. Everyone wants to be part of a group, and feel they are important and loved, so they will follow not adults’ rules but the rule of the group they think they belong.

Thus, when teenagers misbehave, do not want to participate in any activity, or show an unusual attitude, they are just seeking their place in the World around them. Now I learned that teens are not adults, they think differently but they deserve the same treatment and respect. Thinking in the class delivery, I think something really meaningful for me is that I am conscious that teens love working and sharing with their peers, and topics related to technology. I will not just talk about what they struggle with but taking advantages of what I already learned.

I am pretty sure that if anyone who has the necessary tools, and what is more important know and read information before will sucess teaching teenagers. Personally, I could say that this is one of the groups I would love teaching English.

Reference

·         American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Teens: Alcohol and Other Drugs Accessed 6/4/2014.

Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Development, 2004 http://www.healthofchildren.com/C/Cognitive-Development.html

The physical development of teenagers (13-19)

I have never given before the importance to all the physical changes that the teens have during adolescence, and how it could affect if it is not under a certain supervision of the adults around them. I thought everything that happen was normal, you know nothing to worry on. It is just now, that I am reading and learning about physical development in adolescents, that I understand how highly meaningful it is in order to know what is going on whit them in this process. I used to judge their misbehavior and bad-temper, but now I want to share to you that everything they do in this process has a purpose and a reason, and just if we pay attention, we will be able to find the answers of questions related with the teens’ behave.

One of the physical features in adolescents is the puberty. Personally, I consider this as one of the most important for being taking seriously. Let me remind you that adolescence is a process of development when boys and girls explore and struggle, in some cases, with changes in their bodies, so they go between childhood and adulthood. Taking this into account, puberty could be a “headache” for some teens because they will start growing experiencing some biological changes like pubic hair and menarche (girls) which cannot be very pleasure for them, and some teens even can feel ashamed of those changes. During the puberty, adolescents could be in the risk of having depression, antisocial behavior, mood, and lower self-esteem. But all this is a natural process in which they just need the support of their parents, and teachers to be guided and succeed.

I think you are telling yourself what it has to be with teaching.  Well, now that I have read about the changes, I will have it in mind at the time of delivering my class. Even though, puberty could have negative effects in teens, but being conscious of it will make me to take advantage. I will not do activities that could make the situation worse. I also will be careful using a proper vocabulary with teens for not to hurt their feelings because as it is known in this period they are very sensitive and vulnerable to negative outcomes.

Reference
Papalia,D., Olds,S., Feldman, R., (2006)Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence. Online Learning Center: Human Development. http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073133809/student_view0/chapter11/index.html