A long way to go…..

I am sitting here on a summer raining day with a cup of coffee at the side and I cannot think but “what a perfect moment to write about Endings and Beginnings”. I consider myself a very passionate person, a hopeless romantic but… that is another story (laughing at myself). Well, passion about languages and passion about English was what leaded me to this new challenge in my life.

If I could rewind the time I would have chosen a completely different path from Accounting (which I do for a living) I would choose to become an interpreter/translator, a teacher or pedagogy. How right my mother was when she tried me to convince me to study Education but hey, here are some good news , it is never too late to do what you want to do!

So here I was, eight years later after I finished nine semesters of English at Language Department of the UMSNH doing some research so I could get certified with the teaching tools and techniques to step in front of a class and teach English. I found some interesting programs, but most of them were abroad or at least I had to leave the state to do it so. I tried the CAE training but it didn’t work out well, since I was the only one attending, I guess only me and two other people were interested. I got frustrated, how come I couldn’t be able to find what I was looking for here in my own city?…

Suddenly, out of nowhere and without been such as stubborn person as I usually am the chance of taking the tkt  course was in front of me, a great opportunity , why not to grab it?

How I have grown since that? Wow! My expectations were big but the results are twice better! This course made me feel alive again in some way, I was hungry of knowledge and I am and more now. Knowing that you are persuading your goals gives you a special daily strength.

The main reason I wanted to become a teacher was first off to be able to share knowledge for people who are anxious to learn as I am, being able to manage my time and hopefully teach abroad.

Although I don’t discard none of my just mentionated desires, there’s is something that has growing on my soul and it is to make the change in México.  I am so grateful that with the effort of some people, an EFL teacher support community has started here  and I want to be part of it.

I don’t want to let pass the chance to express the admiration that I have for my teacher who is an important piece on this movement for educational change and who since the very first day of class said I am not a superpower person but for me she is.

I can’t wait to start teaching! I have this heart feeling that through the process I will ended up loving it!

Thanks to this course I am a better person, not only have grown academically but personally as well. I have always wailed because I am such a sensitive person and knowing that as a teacher you must have that sensitive touch makes me realized and encourage all my potentials

Blogging? Gloogster? Voicethreat?… Yeap, I was scared to death to deal with technology which is not my main skill, well guess what? I knew from the first moment is scary but challenging, I am sure that makes this course more interesting to me. The key is to really confront our fears, because when we do, and when we look at them, we really begin to realize that we are capable of handling them.

My main goal was, is and will be ¡ I can do this! 😉

" I am going to miss you guys " 😦

 

Bloom’s Taxonomy and its two updates:

Due to my just recently entry to the field of education I wasn’t aware of the importance of Bloom’s taxonomy as a learning process.

It has been more than fifty years since the original Bloom’s Taxonomy was developed and it is still an essential tool for educators to establish learning objectives. In the 1990’s, a former student of Bloom Lorin Anderson revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and was published in 2001, changing both the use of nouns (using verbs instead) as their sequence.   Recently, Dr. Andrew Churches updated this review to bring it into alignment with the new realities of the digital age. Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy complemented each category with verbs and digital tools that enable development skills of Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create.

Graphics of evolution Bloom’s taxonomy

 Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Bloom’s Revised Digital Taxonomy Map

The original taxonomy and the revised taxonomy are both focused within the cognitive domain. The Digital Taxonomy is not only restricted to the cognitive domain but it rather contains cognitive elements as well as methods and tooling.

Bloom’s as a learning process

Bloom’s Taxonomy can be understood as “The Goals of the Learning Process”. This means that after a process of learning, students must have acquired new skills and knowledge.

Before we can understand a concept we must have to remember it

Before we can apply the concept we must understand it

Before we analyze it we must be able to apply it

Before we can evaluate its impact we must have analyzed it

Before we can create we must have remembered, understood, applied, analyzed, and evaluated.

What a better task to get the thinking skills involved at all the levels of the taxonomy as the creation of this post.

Rewriting the activity I would categorize it as followed:

Activity: Post onto your blog a reflection of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

1. 1.     – Recalling: Searching or googling about Bloom’s Taxonomy. Highlight key words. Bookmarking (marking web sites, resources and files)
2. 2.     Understanding: Organizing and classifying files, web sites and materials using folders, etc. Summarizing, classifying and comparing information about Taxonomy.
3. 3.     Applying: Blog editing, create and upload mind maps and graphics. Make a wordle with Bloom’s Taxonomy concepts.
4. 4.     Analyzing: Compare the original taxonomy with its two updates,, structure and integrate the new post.
5. 5.     Evaluating: Redraft a personal reflections about Bloom’s Taxonomy ( check, review and post as a draft)
6. 6.     Creating:  Publishing Bloom’s Taxonomy Reflection as a new post on your blog space. Final Blogging.

Learning Styles Inventory & Multiple Intelligence Calculator

Here is the link to my glogter presentation so you can check it out better:

http://preserviceteacher.edu.glogster.com/multiple-intelligence-learning-style-glog/



Glogster

David Dodgson’s minichallenge

         tkt_project\”

Literature Circles

  A tool or technique to empower not only reading habits and thus the skill of the discussion, analysis, observation and freedom of speech but the constructivism which allow learners to improve their listening, reading writing and speaking ability.

 Essential Elements: 

• Student are divided into groups  
• Each group reads a work ( students can also choose their own reading materials) 
• Groups meet on a regular schedule to discuss their reading. 
• Students use written or drawn notes to guide both their reading and discussion.  
• Groups get together to share their thoughts feelings and observations through open, natural conversations about the material under discussion. 

 As an Educator you have to be a facilitator and help to set up the structure of the circles:

 * You can provide a sheet for role assignments giving each student in each group a predefined role. Roles are switched after each discussion. 

* You need to provide time for meeting preparation this could include writing in journals creating sticky notes graphic organizers and many other methods in order to help your students to organize thoughts and ideas from books and stories. 

My favorite Graphic Organizer is the “Predict and Infer Graphic Organizer” where students write the event of a story, what they think will happen , clues that help those predictions and what it really happened. 

You might like to take a look on it:

predict-graphic-organizer

Students from lower grade can work on story details such as characters and setting.

Reading response story-elements-graphorg

  * You can also provide a sheet of reading assignments for particular days and a list of     vocabulary words for each segment of reading as well.

 * You might like to include a research project (internet – based) for each reading material. 

  * Ask your students a personal reflection essay. 

The dynamic flow about implementing literature circles usually become bore readers into passionate readers since they get confident about actively sharing and discussing their opinions.

What a great way to keep students motivated!!

Teaching Vocabulary

Topic: Body Parts

There are some useful strategies for students which can be used in order to teach English body parts vocabulary.

1.-Show your students a video of the body parts so they can get familiar with the vocabulary.

2. – Design a large poster as a classroom display with sticky words that should be placed in the body part where they belong.  With this activity you are developing the class interaction

You can use www.blockposters.com as a teaching tool to create and print neat wall posters .

3. – Now you can ask your student to repeat after you for memorizing and hear the correct pronunciation.

4. – Use mimic. Ask your students to touch the different parts of their own body, e.g. let’s touch your nose, let’s touch your stomach, etc.

5. – Ask to the class if they have any questions. Once questions are solve then close the classed lesson with a fun game as Simon says.

How to play Simon Says:

Instructions

The Basics

1. Line up the group across from you, 10 to 20 feet away.

2. Tell the players that they should all obey you if you first say the words “Simon says.”

3. Tell them that they are out of the game if they follow an order that doesn’t begin with “Simon says,” or if they fail to do what Simon says to do.

4. Begin by saying something like, “Simon says, put your hands on your head.”

5. Look to make sure everybody has put their hands on their heads.

6. Give another order such as, “Simon says, stand on one foot.” Check again.

7. Continue giving orders. Mix it up and say something like, “Raise your right hand,” without the preface “Simon says.”

8. Call out the players who raise their hands.

9. Play until one person is left. This is the winner.

10. Let that person give the commands for the next round.

Getting Tricky

1. Give the orders fast, in rapid succession.
2. Cut the orders short, saying, “Simon says, do this,” and make the motion you want mimicked, such as putting your hands on your shoulders.
3. Do this step several times with a different command each time.
4. Quickly say “Do this,” and make the motion – put your hands on your waist, for example. Many players will automatically follow your lead (and end up out of the game).
5. Relax and say something like “Straighten up the line,” in a casual manner. Again, several players will comply (and they’ll be out).
6. Single out specific players, especially older ones who are harder to fool. Say, “Chris, move back (or up) a step.” She might fall for it.
7. Ask a question every now and then. Point and ask, “What’s your name again?” If the person answers, he’s out.
8. Keep the pace moving fast. Everyone will be laughing so hard, they won’t care who’s in or out, or who wins or loses.

REFERENCES

How to play Simon Says from eHow.com

If you like this teaching vocabulary idea  then go for it!  I cannot wait put it into practice.

The Benefits Of Having An Updated Portfolio

A teacher portfolio is a tool that allows teachers to organize, document and present a record showing their efforts and results in education (experiences, strategies, results).

Whenever a teacher prepares or updates their portfolio, it is subjected to a process of self-evaluation, self-training and a step towards continuous improvement. It can be extremely useful to demonstrate others your quality as a teacher.

A professional teaching portfolio can be created and presented in many ways but as teaching techniques are changing and dynamic, the creation of a portfolio based on the use of technology (online portfolio) turns out these days as a perfect space of interaction and an opportunity for professionals to share their teaching techniques. Feedback it is also important for a teacher growth.

Fundamentally the content of a teaching portfolio entails:

• A teaching Philosophy Statement: Teaching responsibilities, mission, philosophy, goals and accomplishments as a teacher.
• Lesson Plans
• Student Work
• Teaching Ideas ( You might also include some field trip ideas )
• Resume
• Media Center: Audio and visual student work, as well as link of the class blog, etc.

The most important role of the portfolio is to prove a progress through an evidence of effective teaching . Start  now a lifetime record and achievements as a teacher! Think creatively! it will not only improve your teaching portfolio itself but it will also change and improve your teaching.

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Hello world!

 Although I am still figuring out the blogging art , I am so excited about it! Welcome and happy blogging 🙂