Resources course

Using and developing resources for the ESL classroom. It is already clear of what we should be doing in this course. It is manipulating variety of resources to be used in the language classroom. I like the fact that we had given lots of opportunity in exploring different types of resources which are appropriate to be used with the second language learners.

In order to complete all the tasks and assignments that have been set up, we need to have certain useful internet skills. It is the best part which I started to feel a bit comfortable in meddling with the technology. I learned a lot of new skills and it makes me feel quite safe in the journey of being a teacher in less than 2 years from now on. Somehow, working on all the assignments make me realize that being a teacher is not that easy. We have to be creative and at the same time sacrifice our time in producing quality generations in the future. I think this course give a good preparation for us (teacher trainee) as to become effective and flexible in the teaching and learning.

Actually, at the beginning of this course, I expected that it not only provide guidance in preparing materials which use technology, I thought we will be expose to other non-technology resources as well. I am quite disappointed as I could not gain any knowledge on how to manipulate non-technology resources. I hope that the next cohort will be given that opportunity. It might be useful as we could prepared variety of materials in the classroom in the future.

In overall, the course contains full of new knowledge and information about integrating technology in preparing teaching aids for second language learners.

Blogging

I can be categorized in a group of 'technophobia'. I am actually not interested about exploring technology. It would be a major problem to me if I have to deal with assignments or tasks which involved the usage of technology tools. It may be the consequences of lack exposure during secondary school.

Since I am already in higher level of learning, assignments and tasks are mostly should be done by using the technology tools or sources from the internet. It quite tough for me at the first place to cope with this new trend in learning. Even though it is tough for me, I still have to learn cuddling with this new medium of modern learning. The first few semester is just 'OK' for me as it only required basic skills of using the technology. Furthermore, the institution have not enough equipment as to allow us to explore more about the technology.

My 5th semester in UM quite shocking for me as we have to deal with almost everything via online. The worst part is we have to acquire lots of new internet skills as to complete lots of tasks and assignments. It is just like a nightmare for me since I do not like technology; not because I am against the modernization, because I am not confident if I could make it through. One of the significant task is to make our own blog to reflect about our journey in this course.

Unconsciously, I begin to like blogging. It is the space for me to express my feelings (in this case, guided) and share my thoughts with others. It is the medium where I could broaden others knowledge as well as my own. Sometimes, our life is just hectic with lots of routine and personal tasks where we do not have so much time to talk to peoples in our surrounding as to gain more information and knowledge about any issues. Blogging is one easy way of gaining knowledge about almost any issues in education, specifically and life generally. We can link with peoples from all around the world and get their views of certain issue. It will broaden the way we thought about education and life. Besides that, personally, I get the opportunity to enhance my writing skills as well as language skills by reading others' blog and writing my own blog. I learned a lot of creative ways of delivering message through correct written form. Other than that, blogging improve my critical thinking skills as I have to analyze and judge a few issues regarding this course and things that related to it. However, peoples always said that, 'good things always come with the disadvantage'. I believe so. But at the mean time, I cannot see the bad side of this mission yet. Maybe after a period of time and lots of experienced, a could tell the disadvantages of sharing information in a blog.

TeacherTube

Honestly, I never heard about 'TeacherTube' before this. At the beginning of this course, I was alarmed by the existence of web where teachers from all around the world could host, tag and share instructional videos. TeacherTube is for those who seek more educationally focused videos. It is also a safe venue for teachers, schools and home learners.

I think this could potentially be very useful. The materials are very useful and appropriate to be used in the classroom. I have been keeping an eye on TeacherTube for several months now. One of the things I am finding very useful is the tutorials that are being posted for various web-based applications such as pbwiki and wikispaces. I also appreciate the clear directions for downloading and converting video files. It is flexible for those who just learning about the technology generally. This is some of the list that we could consider as to explore the TeacherTube:

• upload, tag, and share videos worldwide.
• upload support files to attach educational activities, assessments, lesson plans, notes, and other file formats to your video.
• browse hundreds of videos uploaded by community members.
• find, join, and create video groups to connect with people who have similar interests.
• customize the experience by subscribing to member videos, saving favorites, and creating playlists.
• integrate TeacherTube videos on Web sites using video embeds or application programming interfaces.
• make videos public or private; users can elect to broadcast their videos publicly or share them privately with those they invite.

I would like to see a section on it where teachers could learn about other teacher's opinions of school systems to which they are considering applying; viewpoints on administration, atmosphere of schools, whether they consider the system teacher friendly and other logical issues. This might need to be an anonoymous section so that teachers could write in what they really think, but it could steer people away from systems that have issues and provide information that you do not hear from Human Resources. It would also tip people off to jobs that may become available but are not yet posted as well as letting potential teachers know which ones do not give incoming teachers credit for all their experience.

Childhood stress

Childhood seems to be the most enjoyable period where the children are free from any stress. After all, kids do not have jobs to keep or bills to pay, so what could they possibly have to worry about? That is what we usually think. Is it true? The answer is no. They have plenty of it, what we called stress.

Every young children have worries and feel stress to some degree. Stress is a function of the demands placed on us and our ability to meet them. Stress can affect anyone, even kids (who feels overwhelmed). In preschoolers, separation from parents is the greatest cause of anxiety. It may be the first stress that they experienced.

As they get older, academic and social pressures create stress. Teachers with high expectations might be the source of the stress among children. Teachers who push their pupils to excel in sports or who enroll them in too many activities can cause stress and frustration if their pupils don't share their goals. So, before we (as a teacher-to-be) set our objectives and goals, we should also consider the child ability.

Prepare ourselves to be a good and effective teacher one day!

Adapting Video

Since from IPIK, I have ever think about using music video which is not related to education in ESL classroom. It would be fun and interesting if I could manipulate any video from pupils' favourite artist as the teaching aid. But I am always stuck on how to manipulate the content of the video to suits the topic in the lesson. At first, I will eagerly choose any interesting music video to be analyze, but it will end with disappointment when I could not come out with appropriate idea to be used in language classroom.

The task where we have to use Michael Jackson's video music, 'The Earth Song' quite helping in solving my problem. Through the process of completing the task, I have learned lots of skills and aware of what to be considered when using such video in the classroom. Discussion with some friends had given me a better idea and opinions about manipulating thousands of interesting music video as a teaching aids to teach foreign language.

Besides the excellent ideas that we could think, we also need to acquire certain internet skills and knowledge in order to make it real. Since the real purpose is to teach language in primary pupils, we have to do extra work of omitting and adding certain features from the original video so that it would not classify as ineffective material. Considering the time demand, again, I think teachers could have difficulty in giving commitment towards preparing such amazing teaching aids as time will be the major problem.

However, since it could attract pupils attention and help them in acquiring English language better, spending more time could be the most gracious sacrifice of a teacher. Right? Choice is in your hand! Hopefully in future, we will be in the group of teachers who manage to benefits the students in learning.

Inspiring story for teachers

Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children. His clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...He is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home is a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs.Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.

Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter-full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mother used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Remember - that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook. Please try to do it in a positive way.

Taken from: http://www.eslincanada.com/stories.html

Poem for Teachers

by Kevin William Huff

Teachers
Paint their minds
and guide their thoughts
Share their achievements
and advise their faults

Inspire a Love
of knowledge and truth
As you light the path
Which leads our youth

For our future brightens
with each lesson you teach
Each smile you lengthen
Each goal you help reach

For the dawn of each poet
each philosopher and king
Begins with a Teacher
And the wisdom they bring