Reflection 8

     Hello everyone! Cannot believe this going to be my last reflection after 12 weeks on Pedagogy in Education, the five things that I will take note when I am in teaching world are …

            First is identify which school of thought I would like to apply in teaching and learning process. There are three school of thought which is behavioral, cognitive and humanistic. These three approach are different and as a teacher we should know how to apply it in a correct place and time. Besides that, understand which teaching method also important where I suppose to know how to ensure my students understand what I am teaching and ensure my students well behave in the class.

            Second is a teacher must know how to create lesson plan in order to teach the students. Lesson plan is the most important thing that every teacher must be master planning on what topic and how a teacher want to teach their students. I believe when I have a good lesson plan, I can teach my students in a proper way which follow my lesson plan. I can have some activities with my students according to the time that I have well planned. A successful teacher also must have clear objectives. In the world of education, my objectives for my students act as road signs to my destination. My plan is the map. Making a plan does not suggest a lack of creativity in my curriculum but rather gives creativity a framework in which to flourish.

            Third is use students’ interests and fascinations. Find out what my students passionate about and then use those interests as natural motivators to increase engagement. For example if they love pokemon then use pokemon as one of examples for my teaching and learning process. I can use them in order to make them see the clear picture and they can understand the syllabus clearly like crystal. When I use what they are interested on, the class environment will be so much fun and students can see my humanness, it actually builds a foundation of trust and respect. Using humor can make even the most mundane topic more interesting.

            Fourth is understand on classroom management. As a teacher, we are not just come in to the class, teaching bla bla then come out. We should notice how students actually get along with their peers. Especially when we are their class teacher, we should notice if any bad things occur and we should find out and resolve it. Identify which students might be not comfortable sit with their next person or maybe try to make a simple change like rearranging desks. They might want to sit with their peers and we should know to make decision for students happiness.

            Fifth is professionalism. As a teacher must always be on time for work. Truly professional teachers will make sure that they arrive at least ten minutes before the first bell rings, so as to prepare mentally for the day ahead. We also have to follow procedures and the protocol expected at our school. As a teacher, we have to be passionate, positive and enthusiastic about our work as well. A professional teacher will not create negativity in a staff room or engage in mindless gossip and the spreading of dissent. I believe a teacher should have warm relationship with students, but it doesn’t mean you have to be ‘friend’ with your students. Be a mentor. Show them a model responsible adult values, exhibit self-control, choose my words carefully and consider the impact they may have on a particular student or group of students. 

That’s all from me. Thank you for reading ;) 

Reflection 7

Hello everyone! Final exam just around the corner guys. Seriously I have to catch up so many things because my exams date just close between them. Alright! Here I am to let you know which mock teaching was the best for me.

            I would like to choose Danita mock teaching which is she choose Algebraic expression topic in mathematics. I love how she ask us to read those difficult words which is ‘betty botter bought some butter’. When she ask us to read that, at the same time actually she’s already start control the class. We automatically listen to her and focus on her teaching.

            I love how she create an activity where she gave us few cards which have equation and start to match up the card with classmates and stick the answer at the cardboard on the whiteboard. During the class activity, she actually help us and show us the right path to combine it. She show us example then we have to do it by ourselves. Trust me, it was fun because everyone like rushing combine the card and paste the answer on the whiteboard.

            The way she give instruction to us was really clear and we can understand what exactly she ask us to do. I love how she manage her time as well. She’s not wasting time explaining the same thing as she give small activity in the middle of the slides. Her voice projection was good also, and we can see actually she is quite a strict teacher.

            What I learn from her is do not be nervous, manage your time perfectly and do have some fun activity to make students move here and there instead of sitting on the chair for the whole period.

That’s all from me. Thank you. J

Reflection 6

My experience while preparing MOCK TEACHING

            Oh hey everyone! How are you guys? I hope you guys do fine and yes examination just around the corner right? I hope you guys can manage your time study well and strive for the best. Well I am here to tell a story about my experience before my mock teaching. Jeng.. Jeng.. Jeng..

            One week before my mock teaching, I have no idea what topic I should choose for mock teaching. Seriously after saw my classmates done their mock teaching, my nervous just getting to the high level. They have done a very good job. I never imagine I can do better than them even actually I should not downgrading myself. But seriously my classmates just awesome! Alright back to my experience, I start searching some topics and finally I found topic for my mock teaching which is pie chart in topic statistic. I start create lesson plan and find some sources to add on in my lesson plan for complete it.

            On Wednesday finally I realize that I cannot continue with my subtopic for mock teaching. I choose pie chart which is I have to teach my students to draw a circle, identify on drawing the sector by using geometric set. If I choose this topic, I should have those tools to teach my students. Not a small one but the bigger geometric set. Unfortunately I could not get those tools and I decided to change my subtopic to mean, mode and median. Which it just use calculator to calculate the answer and did not need any special tools for it. I immediately change my lesson plan and also create a new slide for mock teaching. Trust me, it was hectic! I cannot believe that I have to change it in last minute. Well procrastination is seriously not good for your health. Hehe :P

My mock teaching on Friday which is just me and Siva. I am the last one who supposed to do my mock teaching. Frankly speaking, either first or last, this two give me goosebumps. I have two presentation on the same day which is the first one is for Social entrepreneurship which at 10.30 am. Tell me how I am going to handle this freakiness on the same day where I have two big presentation. Seriously it was a torture for me as I have to prepare both presentation and I have no idea which one should I remember first.

Finally finish my first presentation, OMG my time is coming! After Siva finished her mock teaching, I was totally blur and I never expect it is my day! I have to become a teacher and teach my students. I have to start it now! Prepare everything and yeah, here I am doing my mock teaching. 

Reflection 5

Hello everyone! Well after discussing about power point as teaching aid, so here I am to list 8 rules to effective use of power point in teaching and learning.

1)    More images less text.

It is important to use image as addition in teaching aid where students will be attracted with images more than lengthy of texts. But, it is important to use relevant image that can be related with students and the topic as well as learning can be improved when narration occurs simultaneously with relevant images. Images are nice to look at, engaging, enriching and can support your story. Instead of using text as explanation, we can use image as another method to explain what the topic is about. Slides that have too much wordy, will give students less likely to learn and ‘bored’ issue will arise. If they end up having to choose between listening to your talk or reading your slides, you will become out of sync with your audience. But people can look at images and listen to your speak at the same time.

2)    Make one point per slide

Do not shrimp the information in one slide. It is okay if you have many slides, because it does not mean when you have many slides, you need to take a lot of time in teaching. You can divide one point and example in one slide. For instance, in class boundary there is upper limit boundary and lower limit boundary. We should not include both points in one slide. Students need to focus on one thing at a time and allow your students to digest it, then move with them onto the next slide.

3)    Add animation and transition but do not overload it.

Do use relevant animation and not too much animation in power point. There are so many animations where it can bounce, flying in, zoom and suddenly grow and turn. For good power point, avoid this complicated animation. Jut use simple animation which is appear. Same as well with transition. Use transition that swipe from left to right or vice versa. It won’t disturb students focus and can help teacher from press to next and next just for animation and transitions.

4)    Minimize font styles and use appropriate font size

There are plenty of font styles in Microsoft power point. But it does not mean we have to use all of them in our slides power point. It won’t make our slides interesting instead it will look messy and students will get difficulty to look at it. Use two font styles minimum in power point and it can give teacher more easier to remember which font that we use instead of using many fonts and we have to remember all those fonts. Do not take too much time on which font should we take just for power point slides. Same as well with size of font. Do not use too small of size which it is hard to read and students will start not focus on it.

5)    Engage students with activities after an explanation.

Try to create an activity after explanation of few slides. This is the method of teacher to create engagement in teaching process. Do not explain and explain and explain again only. Do put some games to make students go here and there and have communication with their peers as well. When there is an activity, students normally can learn better and this can guarantee that they understand the topic that they learn when all of them succeed answer it correctly.

6)    Use colour wisely as font and background as well.

We can include colours to make our slides look colourful and interesting. Colour scheme is important. Do not use all colours in one slide. Contrast it and it will look better. As for background, use white or black background. I do not recommend any design background or any wallpaper because sometimes, it will limit our space for words. When you have normal background, you can maximize your font size and use various of colour that can help your slides look good.

7)    Include video for better explanation and demonstration

Try to find a video that suit with topic that you are teaching. Do not use video that is not relevant or video that might not suitable for students to watch. For instance in calculation method. Pick a video that can give students understanding in term of calculation process.

8)    Clear, Consistence and Simple.

Use clear image for students level understand what the topic is about. Do not use complicated image or graphic that could give them time to think what actually you want to teach them. Be consistence such as for font styles, font colour, and background colour as well. Do not use multi kind of font styles, font colour that actually can make the power point slide look horrible and messy. Simple in term of information inside the slide. Do not put so much information in a one frame and next slide just a few words in it. You have to keep it balance with text, graphic and activities as well.

Reflection 4 ( What did I discover)

            Hello everyone! I am sorry for not updating my blog lately due to lot of assignment need to settle up. Finally here I am to give my next reflection on about what did I discover last week. 

            For the most part that I discover last week is about how to use power point in teaching and learning process. As a teacher in this 21^st century, using power point as teaching aid is major important to attract students attention and create new environment or experience for students. Normally teacher using notes and whiteboard but nowadays teacher should use power point as their teaching aid to make their teaching more productive and systematic following the lesson plan that has been planned. The main advantage is flexibility, both in terms of the content of the presentation and the way in which the information is displayed.

           What I have learn on how to create power point, where we should use less words and more images to express the information. We should not put lengthy of words just to describe one certain thing. Especially in mathematics, we should put more images and put formulas that should been use in certain calculations. In addition, use white or black background instead of colourful or background that have design that could minimize our space for words. Do not use more types of fonts which could give us difficulty to choose and remembering which one we should use. In terms of transition, use swipe from left to right or right to left. I also identify where we should use real image as gifs or visual graphic especially to secondary school. Use images that could relate to the students interest where they can remember more effective and they can understand the topic itself.

I believe we should use examples that shows Malaysians, where it will be close to students culture. For instance if we want to create activity, we should write the instruction because students could not remember every details that we told them. So it is better we write it in the slide and they can take a look on it if they are not understand. Learning objectives and learning outcomes should be put in the slides as well to ensure that teacher and students could achieve the goals in learning outcomes.

Here you go. Will come back later for next reflection ! See you guys later !

Reflection 3

Hello everyone! Here I am to discuss about four mistakes that usually a teacher might make when designing a lesson plan. What is lesson plans? James Michael Lee’s has given a comprehensive definition of lesson plan ‘A lesson plan is an organized statement of general and specific educational goals together with the specific means by which these goals are to attained by the learners under the guidance of the teacher on a given day’. Lesson plan is a plan that teachers make before they attend the class and teach the students. When a teacher have a lesson plan, we know what to teach, we can have goals and we know what kind of activities we can do with students in the period of time that have been given.

       There are four mistakes that I can identify while a teacher designing a lesson plan which is first the objective of the lesson doesn’t not specify what the students will actually do that can be observed. For example, learning objective should state that what students should do and learn in the class. Teacher shouldn’t put any irrelevant objective that students couldn’t do or not clearly state what exactly students must do that teacher can observed them easily.

         Second is the materials specified in the lesson are extraneous to the actual described learning activities. This means as a teacher, we should keep the list of materials in line with what we actually plan to do. For instance, if the topic is about shape, students didn't need to bring their geometric stuff for that topic. Teacher should not included that material in that lesson plan as well. 

        Third, the student activities described in the lesson plan do not contribute in a direct and effective way to the lesson objective. Some teacher provide activities to students just to keep them busy and the result is none. Create activities that can make them engage with what they learn on the topic in order to enhance their understanding for the topic that learned. Students need a fun and interesting activities that can attract their interest on the subject where they can understand on what they learn in class. For example, in mathematics there is topic of statistic. A teacher explaining about mean, mode and range stuff. We should give students question that can testing their understanding instead of give questions that just to make them do something in class.

          Fourth is boring lesson plan. For instance there is no activity during the class session. Teacher just busy explaining without include any activity that can give students opportunity to move around or work in group with peers. Activity is actually can give students thinking and learn on how to cooperate with among themselves. A teacher should include activity as to ensure their understanding more effectively. 

Reflection 2

First of all, pedagogy is the principles and methods of instruction which is a way of doing something especially in a systematic way. It is also the activities of educating or instructing that impart knowledge or skills. 

Three types of teaching methods that can be practice in form four class. First is direct instruction. Teacher as the role model who give instruction through lecture or demonstration. Students will follow the instruction and the learning process will be effective, organizing and sequencing lessons to strengthen understanding. For example in mathematics, form four students have experienced in maths before during they were in form 1 until form 3. I believe they understand well how maths is in process, there’s step by step in calculation. They will be exposed to new topics and more challenging type of calculation that need them to reinforcement their skills. I will modelling the process and ensure that students will follow exactly from it. In this method, every instruction is fixed and students cannot change or add on other steps to get the correct answer. This only will lead them do mistake and missed the correct way to solve the questions.

            Second is homework and practice. Homework is usually major thing that teacher should give to their students to enhance their skills and to measure their understanding in that topic. Students will practice to get the right answer and follow the exact steps that has been given by teacher. Homework actually teach students about time management and provides opportunities for practice. After finish explain the topic about circles and shows the calculations, I will give exercise or homework to my students and set the exact date for them to submit. I want my students complete their homework because this is the method for them to reinforcement their skills and master on that certain topic. I also will check their homework and give correction if they do any mistake. I would love to see my students follow the exact steps that I gave without missed any steps in order to get the correct answer as mine.

            Third is reinforcing effort. A teacher can influence students by helping them in a correct way. In this strategy teacher can allow students to be evaluated in the format reward and punishment. For example, I gave them homework and they complete the homework at the right time, I will add marks on that effort. I didn’t look at their answers yet but I reward them because they follow my instruction. If some of them cannot complete the task, I will ask them the reason and if it unacceptable, I will give only half marks to them. From this situation, students will be motivated to complete their homework and never give an excuse for not completing it. I use reward and punishment to reinforce students’ behavior in a positive way. After that, I will look at their homework whether they answer it in a correct way or not. If they answer correctly, I will give extra marks. To those who not answer correctly, I will definitely give an extra class for them by maybe I will use their recess time to correct them. It might give students feeling to be careful and learn from their mistakes by not doing any mistakes anymore after this. Students also can understand that it’s not only about complete the homework, but answer in correct way is the most important.

Reflection 1

Hye everyone ! Here my Reflection 1 ! Enjoy reading. ;) 

            If I am a teacher, I will practice behavioral school of thought for mathematics subject to my students. First of all, I will explain what is behavioral. Behavioral is about imitate the teacher steps and students need to follow the instruction to avoid doing any mistakes. Students get instruction and they will follow them to complete their task. For example in mathematics, there’s a topic that learning about circles. I will give an introduction which is let them know what they are going to learn and discover in this topic. Next, I will come out with one example question including the formula I will explain one by one, shows the calculation step by step on how to solve the question. Students should copy my steps and follow the exact instruction that I’ve given. As a teacher, I will be a role model for my students and they will follow everything that has been given in lecture or demonstration. Especially in maths, there will be so many formulas and calculation steps that students should memorize to solve the questions. This is why I will use behaviorism which I will give full instruction to the students and they will follow my instructions without missed any steps in order to get the correct answer same as their teacher. In other way reward and punishment also part of behaviorism. Students will be rewarded or punishment in term of what they have done for example whether they complete their homework, answer wrong in their homework or complete homework and answer correctly. A teacher will give reward to increase students desirable in the class for example by smiling at students after a correct response or maybe give extra marks to those who active in class. Meanwhile punishment is effective in quickly eliminating undesirable behavior. For example students who submit homework late will not be given any marks or teacher will add more exercise special for them to complete it. Students will either change their behavior or they will get more exercise every week. I will definitely not give any marks to those who submit late because I believe I want to teach them to be punctual and learn from mistake. 

Background of Myself

Assalamualaikum, a very good Day to all of you ! Hello ! Namaste ! 

             My name is Umi Athifah Sa'udah Binti Johari. I am from Hulu Langat, Selangor. I was born on 28th July 1992. I’m the only child in my family. Some friends of mine have big family and many siblings, but me only have my mum. I lost my dad in 2014, he died because of diabetes. I have a big responsibility now which I have to take care of my study and my mum as well.

       I am a student in Bachelor of Education major Mathematics at UNITAR International University and now I am in third semester. I stay with my friends in Condo SOFO, every week I have to go back home driving to visit my mum because she staying alone. But my mum understand me well if I have lot of assignments, I will go back home once two weeks.

              Before this, I did Foundation of Management in one year in the same university. I got dean list for three semesters. Actually there's a reason on why I choose education for my degree whereby I want to educate the new generation with systematic and extraordinary knowledge of mathematics. I would like to enhance student’s skill and influence them to have interested with calculations. I have an experience where I didn’t like mathematics when I was in secondary school. Thankfully, I get the best mathematics teacher where she teach us until we understand and always encourage us to think positive in terms of calculation. Since then, I would like to share my knowledge with my students and spread positive about calculations. I extremely want to be a good teacher where my students will always remember me and trust me to educate them. I would like to change students perception towards mathematics which i always hear it is headache when comes to calculation. I believe the correct method will make them feel good instead of headache. To be a teacher is not my ambition at all. Its actually not in my wishlist at all during i was in secondary school. I love teaching my friends when comes to mathematics. Since I got good result in SPM, then i start to realize that I should be a teacher and an educator as well. But to be a teacher is not only about teaching, it is about passion as well. How you going to handle students that have many kind of attitude and how you are going to give an effective lessons to them. I believe to be a teacher I need a theory where i can learn more on how to teach students that have different kind of problems and attitudes. 

                 I want to encourage students to love mathematics and do not judge mathematics as the most tough subject rather than others. Mathematics is fun and that is what I'm trying to do for my students in the future. I want to change their perception and take mathematics as the most fun subject that they have ever learned. I want to be a teacher who leave the class and my students will miss me everyday to learn more from me. I hope my students won't give up just because of few topics that they might feel burden, i hope i can build up their motivation and give them lot of practice to enhance their skills in calculation. 

          What I really want in my life is I just want a happy life. When you are happy, you can do anything smoothly even any issues occur, you can handle it completely calmly. My motto? Be honest with yourself. When you being honest with yourself, if God will, God will help you and even society will be nice with you. The most important is you will be succeed.