PMR.....

Dear friends and students, especially those sitting for PMR starting 9th October 2012,
         Best of luck...my prayers that you will do well in your PMR and the same goes for my son, who is studying in SM Sains, Miri. I have shared tips and English materials for those sitting for PMR.

REFLECTIVE WRITING

Introduction

Reflection is great tool which leads us towards better learning. It is important aspect for teacher as well students. Being both I’m observing this issue from the near and practising this, which is certainly enhancing my teaching and learning activities. As a teacher throughout the year, we can share our ideas about teaching and learning in staff meetings, conversations in the staff room, and outside the classroom. It is truth that most of us know the theory of reflective practice. In order to take this theory into practice, teachers should become aware that within their own teaching routine they have the main tools for personal professional progress: their own teaching experience and their reflections on it, and the interaction with other teachers in the institution. I believe that “teacher development takes place when teachers, as individuals or in a group, consciously take advantage of such resources to forward their own professional learning” Ur (1999: 318). Development does not just happen with time, it happens with awareness.

Bashyal (2007) expresses Reflective practice is a mode that integrates or links thought and action with reflection. It involves thinking about and critically analyzing one’s actions with the goal of improving professional practice. Engaging in reflective practice requires individuals to assume the perspective of an external observer in order to identify the assumptions and feelings underlying their practice and then to speculate about how these assumptions and feelings affects practice. It is interesting to note that Ur (1999) also considers that the Reflective Model can tend to over-emphasize teacher experience, with a relative neglect of external input – lectures, reading, and so on – which can make a real contribution to understanding. She comes to the conclusion that a fully effective Reflective Model should make room for external as well as personal input. She calls this model “enriched reflection”.

Professionalisation has become a very important issue in the field of e education. Reflection on one’s own work is a key component of being a professional and is essential to teacher education. Teachers must examine their beliefs, assumptions and biases regarding teaching and learning, and determine how those beliefs influence classroom practice. Reflection improves a teacher’s ability to make appropriate and sound judgments and, therefore, become an empowered decision-maker.

Reflection refers to the ongoing process of critically examining and refining practice, taking into careful consideration the personal, pedagogical, societal and ethical contexts associated with schools, college, classrooms and the multiple roles of teachers. So reflection can be summarized as a natural process that facilitates the development of future action from the contemplation of past and/or current behaviour.

The Collaboration in Reflection

The opportunity to share with colleagues and friends is important in becoming a more reflective practitioner. Feedback, comments, and discussion about your reflections might come from your mentor or supervising teachers, your university supervisor/coordinator and/or your peers in the program. Reflection, as a method of inquiry into teaching, can be collaborative. For example, questions from a friend can help clarify an issue for you, just as a probe or comment from a university supervisor can help you look deeper into the situation. Collaboration when developing a portfolio includes requesting feedback from you mentor, university supervisor, or colleagues and peers. It can also take the form of discussion with colleagues who will assist you in identifying appropriate artifacts to or to help you clarify your beliefs and dispositions. The feedback option provides opportunities for peer evaluation and editing as part of this collaborative process.

It has been noticed that teachers talk about their students in particular, whenever they meet their colleagues. In addition, it is quite revealing that the topics teachers touch on are frequently related to some problematic classroom situation, some negative attitudes or some difficulties students have in their learning process. Rarely do teachers speak about their student´s achievements in a spontaneous way. We often hear teachers say: “They don´t feel like studying and therefore they are getting low marks.” “They never get the initiative in oral interaction; I have to push them on all the time!” “They make too many spelling mistakes.” “Nothing seems to interest them.” “They don´t care about their homework”, “they are not serious about their study.” On the other hand, the principal, head teacher and managements committees blame teachers that they don’t prepare well. Therefore, it’s better to assign to self reflect on their own teaching of the teachers for their and institutions’ professional development.

Although we may agree that teachers´ complaints have become commonplace, we are inclined to think that when teachers talk to colleagues about their students´ problems, difficulties or attitudes they are expressing what they are really worried about or dissatisfied at. Conversations drawback to struggles and disappointments which must be attended to in a reflective and professional way.

Moreover, the basic idea of reflection in teacher development is that a teacher learns about her/his teaching by observing and understanding what is happening in her/his own classroom and reflecting in it. Reflection involves a structured approach to learning experiences.

Approaches to develop Reflective Practice

Underhill, 2006 presents the following most frequently adopted approaches for developing the skill of reflecting practice:

a. Self monitoring

b. Writing a teaching journal

c. Peer observation

d. Teacher support group

e. Reflective conversation

f. Action inquiry

g. Teaching portfolio

Thus, reflection is a developmental learning process which can be acquire through practice teaching, attending seminars and conferences, subscribing to professional journals and publications. There are other important issues to be taken into account are individual or group reflection and interaction with colleagues, learning through experience etc.
A reflective approach to teaching involves changes in the way we usually perceive teaching and our role in the process of teaching. As the examples above illustrate, teachers who explore their own teaching through critical reflection develop changes in attitudes and awareness which they believe can benefit their professional growth as teachers, as well as improve the kind of support they provide their students. Like other forms of self-inquiry, reflective teaching is not without its risks, since journal writing, self-reporting or making recordings of lessons can be time-consuming. However teachers engaged in reflective analysis of their own teaching report that it is a valuable tool for self-evaluation and professional growth. Reflective teaching suggests that experience alone is insufficient for professional growth, but that experience coupled with reflection can be a powerful impetus for teacher development.

References:
Bashyal, G.P.(2007) Reflection and critical pedagogy, Journal of NELA: NELTA
            UR, P. (1999) A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge. CUP
Neupane, M. (2006) Reflective learning and teaching .Young Voice in ELT: Faculty of 

            Education.   T.U.

They Have to See It to Write It: Visualization and the Reading-Writing Connection - National Writing Project

They Have to See It to Write It: Visualization and the Reading-Writing Connection - National Writing Project

Visualise, Draw and Write for Continuous Writing

I have came up with another innovative and approach to writing essay. I finally came up with this idea when my students always gave me the reason for not able to write more due to shortage of ideas. Therefore, I thought of using graphic that they visualise and draw on a blank paper. Whatever they visualise and draw will base on the topic or title of the essay. After visualising and drawing the graphics, they will have to write what they draw with the help of WH-questions.
Before they are in this stage, I have applied the combination of  mastery approach and process writing. I have introduced and explained them the generic structure of a writing text. First, I will start with the introduction of the essay. After the students have mastered the introduction part, then they are able to proceed with the next part of the essay, the content of the body and last the conclusion part.

My Form 4 Cemerlang Students after finally done with their presentation

SMK Lawas School Sport Day

     ANUN BALA  IKO? APA KHABAR KAMU? HOW ARE YOU? APA HABA MU? APA KABAR BISKITA?
     These are the greetings that you will commonly heard in Lawas.

      This is the last@third day of SMK Lawas Sport Day for 2012. For the first time we have used the stadium track for the running events. It was such a tiring week before the sport day. The first day of the sport day was extremely hot  and dry. It was hazy due to the smoke and fire from the burning bushes. However, late evening there were strong wind and rain. What a blessing!!! It has not been raining for a week. Shortage of water supply for the people of Lawas.
      The second day was a blessing too. The weather was fine, raining at the 3pm. Nothing much though, except I have to go back rather late for the marching rehearsal at 6.20pm.
       Luckily, everything goes well today@last day today for the school sport day. I have done my part for my team and also for the school. Till we meet again for next year School Sport Day.

Melta 21st International Conference: Creative Teacher Showcase

I was one of the presenter for the Creative Teacher Showcase. The title of my presentation was Enfagrow.

INTRODUCTION

Enfagrow Programme has been carried out since 2010 and continues till now, 2012. Enfagrow stands for English is Fun with Activities, Gaining Attention and Reaching Out Warmly. It is a REACHING OUT programme to produce quality. It is sort of a weekend and holiday programme that focuses on the skills learnt, and at the same time motivates my students. It is outside the conventional classroom activities.  Surprisingly, my Form Three students love the name of the programme even though they find the name sound like milk product. 

 

OBJECTIVES

1. To create the awareness among the students that in their lives they need to have goals/purposes.

2. To accomplish these goal(s), they have to be creative. They should also realise that each one of them is unique in his or her own way.

3. To enable the students to carry out a variety of language functions and taking part in social interaction by discussing plans and arrangements, and also solving problems.

4. To inculcate values, respect, mutual understanding and   responsibility.

5. To motivate the students to love and enjoy learning English Language. To show them that learning English Language is fun.

                                                           

MY WEEKLY JOURNAL

REACHING OUT

NIE POSTER

Happy Holiday my friends and students

Dear friends and students,
It has been awhile I update my blog. I've been busy with school works. Sorry for the inconvenience especially my Form 3 students. I know that you have been browsing my blog looking for the literature notes for your presentation after the semester break.
The trip to Kpg Gadong, Limbang was an exciting one. We went up on one of the vehicles which was quite adventurous. We sat at the back of the vehicle which was open space except the roof. We were on our best dress@baju kurung and as the vehicle moved, it seemed that our 'tudung' was flying to the wind. Our skirts flew up and we had to stop them from giving free show to the others...hehehe. The function ended at 4pm. By 5pm we managed to cross the river to Limbang town. Quickly took our leave and drove back home to Lawas. Luckily it was not a long queue. Reached Lawas by 7pm.