What do you think the cartoon provided below is illustrating? Why? Answer briefly.
I think the cartoon illustrates how many times people are so connected with the television and all the mass media that we tend to forget to pay attention to our surroundings. I believe that the situation represents our dependence to TV. The character says: “Let´s see what´s going on in the world” turning on the TV instead of paying attention to the real world outside the window.
Reflect on the importance of the initial observation period in final practicum.
This period allowed me to familiarize with the assigned course and the students. I think that observation is necessary not only for practicum students but for every teacher, since despite a teacher may have many years of teaching experience, he or she has to be able to recognize students difficulties or problems in learning, and to detect any change in students’ behavior.
During the observation stage I paid attention to the new system of working of the school, because there have been some changes since I was a student there. I focused on school organization and the staff relationships; it was a time for getting to know the guide teacher and to familiarize with the course assigned; I tried to get to know the students backgrounds, their different personalities and behaviors. I also observed the way of working of the teacher, to see her methodology and the things that worked and which not in the English class, it was useful to detect student’s learning styles and if there was any student with special needs, all these things were very helpful to plan my lessons later.
Refer to the observed issues in assigned school, and explain if these issues caused a change on the expectations you had about this particular period.
As I was an ex-alumna of the school I thought that the only things I had to pay attention to were the ones related to the course assigned itself, to get to know the students and the teacher and to see how the class worked paying attention to the level of English they had. But then I realized that there had been many changes at the school through these years, when I was a student the girls studied in the morning and the boys in the afternoon, but now the school has a full time working day so I thought they were all together, but I found that they are still separated, there are only-girl and only-boy courses and they have their breaks at different times. Besides the experience of knowing the school as a student is very different from being a “teacher” now, I realized there were many things to observe apart from the course that this changed my initial expectations about this period.
How did you feel? Provide one example you consider most relevant to support your answer.
I felt very comfortable because it was a familiar environment. I knew the school and some of the teachers, but I did not know if they were going to remember me so it was a nice surprise to find that despite all these years most of them remembered me. The math teacher remembered the fact I was very good at her subject and although I must say it was a little odd to be back at school now as a teacher and being in the teachers’ room I think this was a big help to my observation period since it was easier for me to talk with the head-teacher of my course and to ask her information about the students or permission to attend the parents meetings.
I think the cartoon illustrates how many times people are so connected with the television and all the mass media that we tend to forget to pay attention to our surroundings. I believe that the situation represents our dependence to TV. The character says: “Let´s see what´s going on in the world” turning on the TV instead of paying attention to the real world outside the window.
Reflect on the importance of the initial observation period in final practicum.
This period allowed me to familiarize with the assigned course and the students. I think that observation is necessary not only for practicum students but for every teacher, since despite a teacher may have many years of teaching experience, he or she has to be able to recognize students difficulties or problems in learning, and to detect any change in students’ behavior.
During the observation stage I paid attention to the new system of working of the school, because there have been some changes since I was a student there. I focused on school organization and the staff relationships; it was a time for getting to know the guide teacher and to familiarize with the course assigned; I tried to get to know the students backgrounds, their different personalities and behaviors. I also observed the way of working of the teacher, to see her methodology and the things that worked and which not in the English class, it was useful to detect student’s learning styles and if there was any student with special needs, all these things were very helpful to plan my lessons later.
Refer to the observed issues in assigned school, and explain if these issues caused a change on the expectations you had about this particular period.
As I was an ex-alumna of the school I thought that the only things I had to pay attention to were the ones related to the course assigned itself, to get to know the students and the teacher and to see how the class worked paying attention to the level of English they had. But then I realized that there had been many changes at the school through these years, when I was a student the girls studied in the morning and the boys in the afternoon, but now the school has a full time working day so I thought they were all together, but I found that they are still separated, there are only-girl and only-boy courses and they have their breaks at different times. Besides the experience of knowing the school as a student is very different from being a “teacher” now, I realized there were many things to observe apart from the course that this changed my initial expectations about this period.
How did you feel? Provide one example you consider most relevant to support your answer.
I felt very comfortable because it was a familiar environment. I knew the school and some of the teachers, but I did not know if they were going to remember me so it was a nice surprise to find that despite all these years most of them remembered me. The math teacher remembered the fact I was very good at her subject and although I must say it was a little odd to be back at school now as a teacher and being in the teachers’ room I think this was a big help to my observation period since it was easier for me to talk with the head-teacher of my course and to ask her information about the students or permission to attend the parents meetings.
