PoEIT

Why is my teacher talking non-stop?
For it is so tiring,
Sitting still,
Not even a chance to hop!

I don't want to sit still,
I don't want to keep shut,
But why is still,
My teacher's talk can't be cut?

Why am i learning this?
Why am i learning that?
Instead,
I want to 'do' this,
and I want to 'do' that.

I have a question,
But why doesn't teacher ask me?
Will I get the chance to?
Did she ever ask me to?

It's not fun,
It's boring,
In this class,
There is no 'sun',
Only 'dim lighting'.


I am back again...hope everyone enjoys this lousy poem...hihi..lousy but meaningful to me because somehow or rather, it has got to do with what i am going to say here(I just don't know how to put in an essay..hihi..). Have you ever come across the PoEIT strategies? Neither did i before i entered this week's technology class. It's not about strategy of how to be a good poet, but it is a strategy of Pedagogy of Engagement Integrating Technology.These are the strategies underpinning PoEIT:

• tailor the content to learner's needs
• ensure learning continuity
• support anytime, anywhere learning
• enable peer and mentor dialogue
• involve learners in own learning
• apply assessment for learning

When i wrote this poem, i was trying to put myself in a primary pupil's shoes who felt dissapointed, as his/her needs were not fulfilled by the teacher.He didn't know why he should learn that topic, he felt frustrated because he did not get any chance to ask questions. The teacher on the other hand, was talking non-stop and all he got to do was to sit and listen, there were no hands-on activities and seemed like this particular class did not have sparks. Maybe all this happened because there was only one direction of learning available and the pupils, whereas, did not get the chance to participate actively in the teaching-learning activities. This is what i understand by pupils' engagement in the classroom.

With the help of technology as a tool to implement any teaching-learning activities, the concepts portrayed in PoEIT are hoped to achieve. A teacher must be able to tailor the topic taught to learner's needs so that they can feel that they are learning something meaningful to their lives and that, what they want to know is what the teacher wants them to know.For example, the teacher should take pupils' schemata into accounts. This will make learning even easier to the pupils as they are equipped with some background knowledge, that will help them absorb new knowledge effectively. But teachers should not give everything wholesomely to the pupils.Instead, teachers can still fulfill pupils' need if they are given the chance to discover what they want to know on their own. Perhaps, they will find it even more relevant as they are the ones discovering it.For example, by using computers, pupils can experience with their own hands of how to do things. So, maximum engagement from the pupils could be obtained as they are involved actively in the learning. In addition, teachers can conduct an on-going assessment, to see how are the pupils developing with all the skills required, by looking at their practical work. So, maybe by using the technology tools, teachers can apply exploratory learning or inquiry discovery method. In addition, opportunities to ask and to inquire must be given to the pupils. By doing so, not only teachers can measure pupils' level of engagement, more or less it will help teachers to know the strengths and weaknesses of the pupils as well as the effectiveness of their teaching. Lastly, teachers must ensure pupils' learning continuity. As we live in a world full of technology, we must educate pupils to become global individuals. This is because technology will never become stagnant. It will always develop from time to time, and this is very important for pupils to know and continue learning it in order to survive in this world. Maybe by integrating this phenomena with what they are learning in schools, they could become individuals that are functioning their best in the society. It's all begin from the classroom!

So, these are all what i understand regarding this topic. Till we meet again in the next blog.

Refreshments for the minds...

Hello to all my blog readers. Here are some poems that might ‘make your day’ when you feel bored reading the other part of my blog..hehe…

The Supply Teacher

Here's the rule for what to do
If ever your teacher has the flu
Or for some other reason takes to her bed
And a different teacher comes instead

When the visiting teacher hangs up her hat
Writes the date on the board, does this or that
Always remember, you have to say this,
OUR teacher never does that, Miss!

When you want to change places or wander about
Or feel like getting the guinea pig out
Never forget, the message is this,
OUR teacher always lets us, Miss!

Then, when your teacher returns next day
And complains about the paint or clay
Remember these words, you just say this:
That OTHER teacher told us to, Miss!

Allan Ahlberg

Still remember this poem, friends? Let’s walk down the memory lane…

The Lesson

Chaos ruled OK in the classrooms
bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
his voice was lost in the din

"The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I'm going to teach you a lesson
one that you'll never forget"

He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then garrotted the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)

Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
"First come, first severed" he declared
"fingers, feet or toes"

He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game

The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out

"Please may I leave the room sir?"
a trembling vandal enquired
"Of course you may" said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired

The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade

And when the ammo was well spent
with blood on every chair
Silence shuffled forward
with its hands up in the air

The teacher surveyed the carnage
the dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
"Now let that be a lesson" he said

Roger McGough

Fish?

'Everyone is getting mad! Fish are thrown everywhere!What on earth is happening? Targets are searched. There you are! Watch out! Ouchh!! They will never miss even one. Still, neither of us stands...'

Well, neither of us stood as there were some who still looking blur, couldn't figure out what was happening just now. As a result, our lecturer called us passive learners...hihi...

Today's lesson started off a bit different. Prof.Madya Dr Raja Maznah had thrown toy fish at us and asked us to start throwing them everywhere. And that was why we didn't stand and would rather sit and threw the fish, afraid that we couldn't handle ourselves and couldn't stop playing. Well, we're good at playing if given the opportunity to..hehe.. After the 'fish throwing session' our lecturer introduced us a philosophy named 'Fish Philosophy'. At first, i felt a bit weird as why this philosophy didn't sound very scholarly. Instead it sounded like a philosophy for fishermen and fishmongers in the market, like how to get good catch, or where to find it and what strategy to be used to make your selling profitable. But my guess was not totally wrong. Indeed, this philosophy originated from the World Famous Pike Place Fish Seattle Market. And these are the 4 concepts being portrayed in this philosophy:

• play
• make their day
• be there
• choose your attitude

After being introduced to this philosophy then only i could connect it with teaching. In my opinion, this Fish Philosophy is important to be used when teaching so as to make students feel motivated to learn. As a fan of motivation myself, i feel that this philosophy is sharply directing to the point of how to make students feel happy and that, they are going to school as a place where they can get knowledge and have fun at the same time. Maybe, many people don't know but i feel glad that i know this one thing. Teacher plays a major role in determining students success. In school, teachers are everything to the students. Whatever the teachers do will motivate or demotivate them. And whatever the teachers do will be highly regarded. So, even a simple praise that they are looking good today will make a remark upon them for at least a week, a little game to be implemented before or as a closure of a lesson will enlighten them and a show of concern will make them feel that they are acknowledged by their teacher. Well, possibly they would feel that their teacher will forget one or two of them as there are many to be taken care of in a class. I still remember how my friends and I adored this one lecturer in our previous college. She dressed so nicely everyday and she looked so presentable to our eyes. And, to be truthful, each one of us could not wait to come to this particular class just to see what was she wearing that day. So, try to make the connection. The teacher's atitude also could be the reason for students to come to class and learn, right?

Reflecting back my days when i was a temporary teacher in a school in my hometown, i supposed i had never cared about some concepts of the philosophy before. What i cared was that I had to finish the syllabus and other things did not matter to me. I tried to set an attitude of being a nice and full of smile teacher on the very first day, but the moment i stepped into the class, as a teacher, for the very first time in my life, i thought i need to change my attitude. Since then, i could be considerd as a fierce teacher. Even the prayer that they recited at the beginning of the lesson i would ask them to read it properly(with correct intonation and pronunciation). See, how firm can i be? But after i learned this philosophy, i supposed being fierce is not wrong, but there should be some ways that students can feel the teacher's warmth and concern.

So, i hope when the moment i become a real teacher arrives, i would be ready to serve my clients as how they should be served. But, beware, don't let the 'BE THERE' part influence your mind and heart..or else Halo effect will arise and you are no longer a good teacher! Till then.. .

References:

www.grand-blanc.k12.mi.us/qip/fish%20philosophy.htm

http://teacherweb.esu1.org/esufirst/stories/storyReader$8

technology can support a vision, but it cannot be the vision

Assalamualaikum and good day first of all.. quite sometimes since i made my last appearance in my previous blog... so here i am again..hehe..Ok now this topic was assigned to us: TECHNOLOGY CAN SUPPORT A VISION, BUT IT CANNOT BE THE VISION. First of all, this is what i understand of the word 'vision':

• the ability to see perfectly
• your vision of a future situation that you imagine or hope it would be like

'Technology can create wonders'

Often we hear this statement from the mouth of people who rely on technology. Indeed, technology has helped human beings in many ways. Recently, technology seems to dominate the whole world. Education, also does not to be left out from this revolution. As we can see now, computers have been integrated into school subjects. At least, half an hour per week is required to be implemented in the computer lab. Teachers are also encouraged to use computers in teaching. In addition, computer class are opened to any interested students.

In my opinion, the first sentence of this topic has two different meanings. Firstly, technology can help teachers to give an even clearer visualization of the topic taught. In order to teach a topic efficiently, teachers can use technology in making the students understand the concept. For example, when teaching analyzing and collecting data, teachers can use Microsoft Excel to show the relationship between every data gained by tabulating the information and traslating it in a form of a graph. (I'm more a Maths teacher than English through this example..hehe...). the vivid and colourful image is able to help students to capture the concept better. Technology are also hoped to aid different learnnig styles of students. That's what i think as technology to support a vision.

On the other hand, in conjunction to Vision 2020, technology is hoped to make Malaysia a developing country and it's people wiser. Well, technology is domineering the world now. It is a part of the world. So, to survive in this world, a person should be well equipped with the knowledge of technology.

Having to say all these, it is true that it cannot be the vision. As its name is still TECHNOLOGY, it is considered unreliable sometimes. What or whenever the technology is used, there must be a source or a faucet to its weaknesses. So, in relation to education, teachers must not let technology drives educational decision. Instead, learning and teaching need of the students should drive educational decision, with the helps of technology. And the most obvious thing in supporting the first statement of this paragraph, try to imagine what will happen if there is no electricity? Try to imagine a world that is mainly operating using technology and not even a single thing could be done manually? I think for those people who rely so much upon it, that would be the end of their lives. So, how much technology has dominated us, there is still a limit to its usage. And that is why it cannot be the vision even how powerful they can be.

References:

http://markwagner.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pVGrVZfiI485ySbt5CLoe0A!109.entry
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/math/ma2tvisi.htm

Where do we belong? (In response to the topic ‘Digital Immigrant vs. Digital Citizen’)

• When I first heard of these terminologies, my mind simply reflected my residential area in Pasir Gudang. As Pasir Gudang is an industrial estate, there are many immigrants coming to work at factories there. These include Vietnamese, Bangladeshis, and Indonesians. My place can be considered as a hot spot for them to find a place for shelter. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of its strategic-ness that my place now become an ‘international region’. But now, I am not supposed to talk about those immigrants in my hometown. But somehow it has some similarities with what I am going to say here.
  Actually, I had no single clue of what digital immigrant and digital citizen is all about. Until I browsed some articles on the Internet only I had some schemata of what to talk about here:
  
  Digital natives- those grew up with technology and they are natives to the digital world and technology.
  Digital immigrants- those coming to technology, as an immigrant come to a second language.
  
  So from here I can conclude that I am a digital immigrant because I was born without computers or nowadays' technologies. But, while I was reading these few articles on digital immigrant and citizen, this one man called Rupert Murdoch came very familiar. He is an America’s more prominent immigrant who lined up to support moves by President Bush to introduce ‘guess worker’ legislation and reform immigration laws. But recently, Rupert Murdoch turned his attention to another kind of immigration, which is digital immigrant. These were what he described digital citizens as:
  
  q They want their news on demand
  q They want control over the media
  q They want to question, to probe, to offer a different angle
  q They want to join in debate
  
  From his description, I could see that these digital citizens are bringing some changes to our culture. If we are made to obey to the media of what news we are supposed to know or what we are not supposed to, these digital citizens want their needs to be fulfilled. They want something more than the newspapers that are thrown at their doorsteps could serve them. That’s why we could see nowadays they are more into blogging than writing to editors, so that they can voice out what ever they want.
  
  Reflecting this, I dare say that it can give a big impact to education. We, as the digital immigrant teachers need to realize that we are confronting the digital natives. If back then, students were supposed to learn only what the teacher disseminated to them, I guess with all these technologies coming, the students want something more than what they are supposed to learn. They will become more independent, they will try to find out beyond what the teacher gave them, they enjoy changes and they have strong values and principles. I support Rupert Murdoch’s opinion that what is required is a complete transformation of the way we think about our product. So as teachers, we should be ready to change in facing these digital citizens. If traditional teacher-centred approach has long being given the priority in the teaching-learning session, now is the time for its abdication, which is by changing and turn our attention to student-centred approach. Only through this way we could serve the needs of the digital natives. And what is more important is that we should never shy to learn from these digital citizens. This is because; we could never resist the fact that teachers and learning is like a printer and its ink. They will live their lives with learning. So, in order to be competent in teaching digital citizens, we should never be afraid of changing our methods of teaching and learn new things that will make us equipped and up-to-date with technology. We may not be digital citizens. But at least we should try by all means to be at the same level as them. Well, why not? Sometimes, a non-native English speaker can be as competent as the native one, so why can’t we?