Touching Lives

The only time  I wrote a blog was some time in 2007 and it definitely was neophyte’s blog. However, until now I still do not consider my self as a pro-blogger. But I will of course try to convey the message in an effective manner as possible:)

What is effective teaching and when do we say that a teacher is an effective teacher?

Teaching for me can be both an overwhelming and fulfilling job. Overwhelming in the sense that you get to deal with student of different characters and of different needs daily. But, it also a fulfilling job because you get the chance to positively influence them and just watching them grow and learn something new every day which can be used in their daily living and even changing the society they live a better place through the school year is such wonderful and priceless feeling.

The following are few qualities that an effective teacher must possess;

*creative  

*a good motivator 

* a promoter of  experiential learning

*dedicated to make the students learn 

*Passionate 

 

 

NEW TRIMESTER MEANS NEW CHALLENGES 

Prior to the enrollment weeks, I’ve had this anxiety in me. I was really worried because I got an EXT in my EDUC 101 subject and that I had to retake the final exam on the scheduled date. I even had a doubt  whether should I enroll this trimester or just transfer to another school wherein I can finish the ProfEd program within six months without  doing tedious school stuff. But I realized, UPOU ProfEd program will give me lessons that are intrinsically beneficial to me as a future educator in the country. I want to be an educator that is equipped with right knowledge to teach my students. And so I enrolled this trimester and I commit my self to be more extra focused especially in this subject that requires considerable amount of readings.

 

 

Study Skills Inventory Results

 

Section                            Your Score                                                      Benchmark

Textbooks                             32                                                                         30

Notetaking                           12                                                                         20

Memory                                25                                                                          30

Test Prep                              43                                                                          40

Concentration                    32                                                                           35

Time Management           21                                                                           20

This is maybe one primary reason why I got a low score on final exam last trimester because I’m kind of not giving importance in notekating. Also, the concentration is an area that needs improvement along with the memory section. Although, I also have to keep other sections up to achieved the desired goal for this trimester.

It’s Been A Great and Worthwhile Experience-Thank YOU!

Another trimester has finally come to an end and just like the previous ones, I’m overwhelmed by the huge number of requirements I faced this trimester. But let me tell you this, it’s really a worthwhile experience and it is such a great opportunity to have been able to widen the horizon of my understanding on so may things especially on the methods of assessment.

There were times that I thought of giving up because I felt that I was not suited to be a UP student but then I’m certain that is something innate being a student of UP- challenges that will enrich your knowledge and to prepare you to be a catalyst of change in the society.

I have come across many terminologies that were so new to me and I’ve had to further research of their meanings to gain better understanding and how they work. And then here comes understanding the difference between goals and objectives, the linear vs. cyclical progression, the assessment cycle, rubrics, feedback etc. Indeed, the Principles and Methods of Assessment has given me essential opportunities to be both of knowledgeable and effective teacher in the future.

Moreover, the assignment 2 which required us to work collaboratively with other classmates was one  great experience for me to share my ideas. Ma’am Armi, Stefano and Crysa were all dependable. The tasks assigned to each of us were done and effective collaboration took place.

Finally, all these learnings would have not been possible if it were not because of the faculty in charge who’s very keen and pushing us to go beyond our limits so as to use our true potentials as learners. Thank you so much, Teacher Malou P. Juachon for being so patient to us. May you continue to be an inspiration to people who want to serve  the society and country through teaching.

Rannie Rex

-A future teacher in the making 🙂

Designing An Effective Classroom Assessment

The picture above depicts how can assessment help the teachers measure and take the lead in making the classroom more effective in the actual learning environment where the students are the recipient of the new knowledge and information.

So how do classroom assessments improve learning of the students?

Teachers who develop useful assessments, provide corrective instruction, and give students second chances to demonstrate success can improve their instruction and help students learn.In addition, low-stakes assessments are best best suited to guide improvements in student learning are the quizzes, tests, writing assignments, and other assessments that teachers administer on a regular basis in their classrooms. Teachers trust the results from these assessments because of their direct relation to classroom instructional goals. Plus, results are immediate and easy to analyze at the individual student level. To use classroom assessments to make improvements, however, teachers must change both their view of assessments and their interpretation of results. Specifically, they need to see their assessments as an integral part of the instruction process and as crucial for helping students learn.

Furthermore, in this module we tackled about rubric and why is helpful to some extent during the teaching-learning process. In many instances here at UPOU, most of the teachers employ rubrics as a way of grading us distance education learners and in this way, we try to reflect on ourselves the kind of standards we have to adhere to before starting doing our quizzes, specially on our assignments and final exams(high-stakes assessments).

Finally, I’ve also come to realize the significance of academic feedback in this module. In the academe, feedback is an essential part of  an effective learning. It helps students understand the subject being studied and gives them clear guidance on how to improve their learning. During my first trimester at UPOU, there was this teacher who was really fond of giving us feedback after each assessment and, from there I started to have self-awareness, confidence and enthusiasms towards learning.

What Suits Best for the Students?

 In this blog post, I would like to focus on Formative and Summative Assessments to gain better understanding on the chosen matter. And what suits best for the students, is it the Formative Assessment or is it the Summative Assessment? Let’s find out below.

According to Eberly Center  of Carnegie Mellon University,   the goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:

• help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work
• help faculty recognize where students are struggling and address problems immediately

While the its counterpart of the Summative Assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.

Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value. Examples of summative assessments include:

• a midterm exam
• a final project
• a paper
• a senior recital

So it is very clear that what we have here are two contrasting issues on the assessment realm. However, we still cannot completely neglect the former just because it’s considered as low-stakes, rather, we must consider its significance in the teaching and learning experience by both the students and the educator in the actual learning environment. While summative assessments are often high-stakes, the so so-called midterm exam, final project and final exam results are being supported by the formative assessment. How? let’s put it this way, the formative assessment can serve as scaffolding during the instruction. In this way the teacher will be able to identify and address the issues concerning the students. Remember that students vary on their learning styles and this is where formative assessment comes in. By effectively addressing the issues during the learning process(formative assessment), a more desirable learning outcomes is achievable during the summative assessment. Lastly, the two assessments should be employed effectively by the teacher for they do not outweigh one another,rather they work together for a better learning experience.

 

 

Work cited:

What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?

Source can be retrieved at https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html

 

 

 

 

 

What Should the 21st Century Learning be Like?

Although objectives were carefully stipulated in every lesson we were about to tackle many years ago, specifically, during high school years. It was always up to the teacher if the said objectives will be carried out through the learning process. And sometimes, teachers swerved from these objectives making the learning experience kind of undesirable. I’ve always thought that memorizing is a good way to learn until I reached college. Things have dramatically changed. I’m not trying to neglect the importance of memorizing but memorizing is a superficial way of learning, it fades as time goes by. That’s why you don’t just memorize but you also have to process the newly gained information so as to make the learning meaningful.

Back in high school, I’ve spent so much time trying to memorize the elements in the periodic table and the teacher called each of us in the front to memorize them and that’s how were graded. But when in college, our Inorganic Chemistry professor provided us with periodic table. The latter is truly an assessment of whether we’ve understood the lesson or not. While the former is a superficial assessment because just after a few months, I can barely remember the chemical symbols of those found in the periodic table. Over the years I have seen many cases where one attends a class or spends time studying materials to “learn” something new and pass an exam to earn credentials. For many, what they are in fact doing is memorizing the materials to pass the exam but they do not always have an ability to put it all in context for application.

I never thought that someday I’d be taking the path of becoming a teacher just like what my mama did many years ago. Well, if it’s really my fate to become a teacher someday, I’d like to be remembered by my students as a teacher who brings out the best in them. I’d like to be a a teacher that serves as the catalyst of change in the school, in the family and in the community. And for me to be able to do that, I will have to start on making my objectives well-crafted as a teacher and my future assessments must be well-aligned.

Finally, there are pros and cons with teacher-centered learning and student-centered learning approaches. However, after contemplating and weighing these pros and cons between the two and taking into account the kind of students we have right now in the 21st century, I’d prefer the student-centered approach because I want the students to be more engaging in the classroom activities. Gone are the days where teachers are the ones who who lead and decide of the learning process. This time students must come into the picture. Student-centered classrooms include students in planning, implementation, and assessments. Involving the learners in these decisions will place more work on them, which can be a good thing. Teachers must become comfortable with changing their leadership style from directive to consultative — from “Do as I say” to “Based on your needs, let’s co-develop and implement a plan of action.”

 

The Role of a Good Assessment

Various definitions of assessment and the role it plays in teaching and learning:

• Assessment involves the use of empirical data on student learning to refine programs and improve student learning.  (Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education by Allen 2004)
• Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.  (Assessment Essentials: planning, implementing, and improving assessment in higher education by Palomba and Banta 1999)

There are quite a few definitions of assessment from people in the field of education. And it all boils down to one point- assessment as something bigger than just a way to give grades.

The things I’ve learned from this module are genuinely essentials on so many levels. I have learned that, to see students failing  assessments we’ve designed for them is a direct reflection on our own competence. Furthermore, we must always take into account that assessments should be goal-oriented, why the students need to perform well and they can achieve these goals in the learning environment.

I’ve seen the effect of the assessments being poorly aligned. Because, I, too was once a product of an assessment that has been poorly aligned by the teacher and it did no good to me and in fact, I realized when I set foot in the university after graduating in highschool, I realized that there were issues in my previous school that needed to addressed specifically in the academe otherwise, students’ learning would be affected from this poorly aligned assessment style.

So how do we improve our teaching techniques in the future. The assessment that we are going to design should be evidence and inquiry-based that will cater the different needs of each student. Moreover, we should also consider the four components of assessment and from this we can reflect whether a revision is needed or not.

Finally, in the 21st century of teaching and learning, learning is becoming more diverse and complex. And as our response to this call, we have to make our assessments more dynamic to be able to give our learners the best education possible.

I will Continue to Strive for Excellence

I’ve never imagined myself reading tons of books and other resources provided in this course until I enrolled myself in this university.

There are four things I realized being a student here;

First, time is gold. I think I’ve just become a better manager of my time. I never thought I could do  academic stuff while doing household chores and trying to beat some deadlines. Like I said before, this is by far the most demanding and stressful trimester to me being a student here. But, let me tell you this, it’s worth it:)

Second, you get to discover what you’re truly capable of. Indeed, being a student here lets you experience to different situations. When I first cam here last January 2016, I only thought of this as way of diverting my attention as I’ve been suffering depression for almost two years now. Days, weeks and months gone by and it has become clearer to me that I wanted to become a teacher just like my mama. I originally thought, I was just good at marketing but little did I know I that I could also teach students. That I realized when I’ve had to conduct and observe classes in the real classroom setting a few weeks back.

Third, teaching and being teacher is a fate. No matter what happens if you’re fated to become a teacher it will happen. It doesn’t matter if it’d take quite some time you’d always arrive in a phase in your life where you’re headed to becoming one. And this is the very exact thing happening to me right now. I took Food technology as my first course, shifted to food business management and finally landed in business administration as my bachelor’s degree. Made premature and silly decisions back then that led to regrets  and I’m now 26 years old turning 27 in less than 5 months but here I’m now, I’m in the phase of my life where I feel genuinely happy and I’m perfectly loving it.

Fourth, you will realize how important it is to always strive for excellence. Being now an Iskolar ng Bayan. It is our responsibility to give back to our country in the future. That being said, it is also our responsibility to give our best in everything we do during our stay here at the university.

To my classmates and fellow Iskolar ng Bayan, may we be always the catalyst for change in our homes, to  our community and to our beloved country.

Padayon!

Someday it’s Going to Make Sense

This is actually my second trimester at UPOU and this is by far the most demanding and stressful trimester in my student life here. A month ago, I realized I was being flooded with tons of requirements and deadlines from two subjects I’ve enrolled. Until one time, I found my self in the brink of giving up. That was the time I started asking my myself where was I going?  Will it be worth it or it just me squandering my time and money?

From a person who’s been suffering and battling depression for almost two years now. It’s not easy. I originally enrolled in this course because I thought I needed to divert my attention. And I never told anyone about this especially my group mates because it may be interpreted as  “Paawa effect”. One time, I was writing in the wee hours I stood up because I felt so empty inside and I was about to cry.

Getting through this course in a no easy task but I tell you this- it’s all worth it.

This final eJournal entry doesn’t talk much of much have I learned this week, rather, it is a reflection how much the course have reshaped my way of thinking and how can I possible be not just a knowledgeable but also an effective teacher in the future. I will surely  apply all the concepts I have learned from here to my future students. And I hope and pray that I can be the genuine catalyst of change in the society.

It’s become clearer now what I really want to be and all these readings, collbarotaive discussions I’ve had with my group mates and assignments, exposures and observations in the real classroom environment. Someday, they will  going to make sense.

And to you, teacher, Daghan kaayong salamat sa mga butang nga akong natun-an aning kursoha. 🙂

Padayon!

 

A Worthwhile Experience

As of this writing, I still couldn’t fathom how have I managed to conduct observation twice, while working  and looking after my sister who has special needs. I admit, I’m totally not good at time management but the recent assignment proved that I can be a multitasking person.

I’d like to commend our group leader for initiating and breaking down each task to everyone  in the group. I really liked how everyone in the group gave their best throughout the assignment process.

I’ve learned more about the four theories from other perspectives. I’ve learned its obvious importance when applied in the actual learning environment. How social learning theory can foster the learning process of the children if employed properly by the teacher, how positive and negative reinforcements can be helpful in the classroom management specifically in the classroom where most  of the learners are youngsters.

There will always be a room for improvement and in this case, I think I would have done better, I would have gathered more data, interviewed more people and students if I had enough time. Nevertheless, I have done sufficiently for the group in this task and I can confidently say that we’ve achieved our goal. Goal here means not just an output to submitted at the deadline, rather I’m talking to the things we’ve shared, discussed and learned as a whole.

I certainly believe that this is just the beginning of my lifelong learning experience but to be honest, this one is a worthwhile experience 🙂

Teaching is a Privilege

 

During my elementary and high school years my mind was set- that I wanted to become a teacher just like my mother. But a few months before graduating in high school I changed my mind and decided to take Food Technology as my course. Although, I didn’t really finish the course I originally took up because I finished a business related course instead.

But here I am today, currently enrolled in the program that will later enable me to take licensure exam for teachers. I guess, teaching is not just a choice, it’s something more of a fate, no matter how long it’s going to take or how much circumstances you’re going to get through along the way. And now, being in this phase in my life I think I’m fated to become just like my mother- a teacher.

My teaching experience was short-lived one. In fact it only lasted for almost two months and I used to teach virtually- meaning all my lessons were held online. Two years ago, I applied for a teaching job which was something but not completely irrelevant from the course I took in college. It was one of the many factors why I’m pursuing my dream to become an educator in the future.

I met a diverse kind of students in my class. Some of them were engineers, some were teachers, college students and sometime I taught kids as young as two years old. It was really a challenging job for me, given that I didn’t have any previous teaching experience of any kind. The approach of was kind of a student-centered learning.

Good thing thing there were series of trainings and other activities that would help me before I embark myself in teaching. Students who came to my class had different needs, some came to enhance their speaking skill ability, some for academic purposes, some for IELTS upcoming exam and some just wanted to have their kids get busy talking to me while the mother is doing the household chores- it was as if I was nannying their children 😉

After each lesson, I’ve had  to make lesson notes, to point what are the area/s the learner should focus on learning so the next teacher can get some insights on what to do when conducting a lesson to the learner.

Also, as teacher I was evaluated based on my teaching approach and performance by posting comments on my teacher’s profile page. I know of course that there areas of my teaching method that need to be improved based on some comments of the students.

Little by little, I’m gaining new knowledge on how to be effective teacher someday. The Principles of Teaching assert on how to be one. The lessons teaches us new approaches to address the circumstances in the actual learning environment and avoid the recurrence of possible teaching problems.

 

 

“What is a teacher? I’ll tell you: it isn’t someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows.”

-Paulo Coelho, The Witch of Portobello

P.S I was assigned to draft the Lesson Plan in our group and it was my first time ever to do so. I’ve just become more excited, keen and determined to become a teacher soon:)

 

The Power of the Mind

We are living in a golden age of brain research. New breakthroughs emerge every month, revealing the astonishing power of the brain to heal, create, and evolve. Where scientists once believed that the brain’s hardwiring couldn’t be changed, we now know that the brain is constantly evolving, and our ability to rewire our brains remains intact from birth to the end of life. Researchers have also dispelled the myth that aging in the brain and memory loss are inevitable and irreversible. No matter how old we are, our brain is incredibly resilient and has the capacity to create new neural pathways if we choose to keep learning and opening ourselves to new experiences.

In the learning environment,. it is very important to note how the  the learners will be able to store the information needed for future use. It the role of the educators to not simply inculcate valuable ideas in them  but also on how to  retain them in the future. In addition, our brain is not just a complex network but a powerful place for storing information. The creation of different learning theories imply that the learners are given adequate time, support needed. The Cognitive theory also implies that to maximize and perhaps unleash the true potential of the brain, the teachers must carefully plan the lessons to discussed and possibly help the learner to give enough time to process the information from the simplest ones to the complex ones.

 

As a future educator, learning these theories specifically this Cognitive theory is a a great advantage. The 21st century leaning is a challenging one because children are a voracious learners and I certainly believe that I cannot just feed them with information for the time being. That I have to give them ideas and information that will be useful as they grow and as they learn many many things that will be useful in the society they live in. Given the fact they need to be constantly exposed in different stimuli in the learning environment and me having learned this and be able to retain the necessary information to help them learn more. I think I will be an effective teacher in the society someday.