Insight from my Teaching Journey!!!

In the world of teaching there are many challenges and experiences that can increase different kinds of learning process. In teaching the teacher must focus on the creativity in teaching and disregarding the image of being teacher centered. Teaching also gives life learning for the student in more unique and desirable ways of understanding about the lesson.

In my case as mentor in a small group ages 35 to 40 years old, one thing I learned is how to handle my lesson and communicate it well through different kinds of process that they can easily understand and they will enjoy it. My methods of teaching are retainable to my class and with their participation. I must encourage critical thinking and making meaning on each method. And one thing which is best, it creates a collaborative environment which means there is “freedom of learning”.

However, for me as beginner in the field of teaching I have encounter lots of challenges. First, on how to become creative; making training aids and being resourceful in finding related video clips that can add to their learning. Second, how to use the correct methods that is retainable and life learning to the student. Lastly as Christian educator, my teaching must saw first on life testimony. As they said, “What you talk must be your walk”.

What Makes a Great Teacher?

Creating A Constructivist Classroom

I was introduced in a traditional setting of education. A banking knowledge, spoon feeding process and lots of memorization in which does not give any sense of learning. During that time I was aiming to have high grade or pass the course for me to step in higher level of education and finished my program. Subject and teacher centered was the environment setting during my undergrad years and I was passive, no room of interaction and never ask or encourage to share insight.

Even inside the church where I was trained by my mentor the process and understanding of lesson by traditional methods. I was fascinated with their biblical stories and emotional experiences in which I ended up as a passive student. I just agree and follow whatever they say as part of my training.

Upon reading the book I learned and understand that for me to have a better learning I must explore, think and interpret through different scheme to develop cognitive to lead a better meaning.  Indeed, it is very helpful and valued in changing one’s mind, increases understanding concept, engaged through practical assessment and develop unique perspective. In short, this process is what I called constructivism.

To create a constructivist classroom I learned to develop a concept of student center, willing to hear the voice of my learners for me to inquire their pre understanding of my lesson, engage in a dialogue methods, create an environment sharing thoughts by asking and open minded question in which learner actively think and explore as part of their cognitive development. However, it is very challenging for me as teacher on how to create and transform the vintage point of education methods where there are many gaps to fill in. Nevertheless, through consistent and unique creation of learning’s I can create a classroom where student have a freedom, a voice and a meaningful perspective of learning.

 

The Heart of Teaching

Teaching is a noble profession that needs both mind and heart that preserve the sanctity of pedagogy between teacher and student without any condition and reservation of labor to reach the highest effectivity of learning in a challenging world of teaching. (From the Foreword by Roland Tharp, founding director of the Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence,p.xi)

The book “The Heart of Teaching” talks on how to design and have an effective lesson plan in different facet of teaching that gives learning to the student. It also invite a classroom of activity that create a participation, cognitive development, making connection, and student base orientation.

This book gives me huge learning as a beginner in designing and making lesson plan. There are terminologies that enhance my vocabulary and strategies and technique approach in designing a instructional materials in deferent context and content in order to attain my goal in better teaching inside the classroom. I learned on how to process and have a right approach of lesson in which my student develop a learning that enhance their critical thinking, sharing their thoughts and ideas, dig more deeper understanding, process their connection and meaning, and develop a better and practical learning according to their context and content area.

Though teaching is very challenging task, what it is important is to deliver the better learning inside the classroom through collaborative and participation, develop right academic according to their content area, making meaning and connection in the instructional matters in a conversational way, and develop a high order thinking skill to attain a success learning.

 

 

 

 

Mini Curriculum

Who:    Street children in our Barangay ages 7 to 12 years old

   15 to 20 children

Where: Barangay Hall

When:   December 19 - 21, 2013 / 9am to 11am

What:               Outreach Program

Topic: Jesus is the love of God

Text: John 3:16 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Outline: 1. Love of God is available to all

  2.  Love of God by giving his only Son Jesus Christ

 3.   Love of God is eternal gift

Objective:

1.      To describe the love of God through Jesus. 

2.      To explain the gift of eternal life through Jesus.

3.      To respond to the love of God by accepting the eternal gift. 

How:                                                                                           

9:00 am – 9:10am:                   Assembly Time

9:10 am – 9:20am:                   Sing a Song

(Jesus is a happy name, Jesus loves the little children)

9:20 am – 9:25am:                   Opening Prayer

9:25 am – 9:40am                    Activity:  Video Clip about the “Jesus & The Cross” (www.youtube/cartoon edition)

9:40 am – 10:00 am                 Analysis –Groupings, facilitate children to identify their understanding about the video clip, let them explain and relate their experiences about the love of God.

10:00am – 10:30am                 Abstraction

Concept to dig for discussion

1.      What kind of love God give to us?

2.      How God express his love to us?

3.      How can we receive the love of God?

10:30am – 10:45am                 Application – Lesson Object 

We will prepare a wooden cross for them to visualize how much God love them by sacrificing his son Jesus Christ to the cross to pay our sin. We will also prepare a trick of cutting a cross out of the folding paper.

10:45am – 10: 55 am

            Parlor Game

10:55am -11:00am

            Closing Prayer / Distribution of food, Wrap Up

AWAKENING 

      After discovering the educational concept in my journey of learning I experience total deterioration of my assumption that brought me into an inner process of finding meaning that represent real and permanent transformation which happened in my inner most soul. As I contemplate the pieces of experience in my journey I had viewed myself as a learner who is passive, empty vessel, banking knowledge and receiver. The content and process was focused to the program that is very oppressive, one way communication, spoon feeding methods, subjective - objective which resulted agitation, disconnection to the true meaning of learning, and loss of self-directed learning. Because the teacher as the authoritarian, the expert, reliable source, the depositor of lesson, and narrator or lecturer.
     However, the true learning from the true education concept must experience liberation,open for critical consciousness and awareness that create a space in finding true meaning from their experience which renounces and awaken the critical thinking ability of a learner. Furthermore, the content and process of student and teacher are crucial in developing a true meaning of learning’s. The involvement of two individual must practice a horizontal dialog, reflective process of experiences, collaborative setting, and with mutual respect to each other.
     Nevertheless, if my education never experiences a total transformation I suspected my process of learning never awaken my critical awareness of learning.

Learning Style

Insight for Learner

Each human have different kind of learning and thinking style. As we grow mature it demonstrates our level of education we have and having learning experience that validate through transformation in our life. One thing I learned from CTM this morning was to be able to locate my learning style through answering the activity prepared by our professor. I believe in knowing our self can produce a potential learning style, invest in the strength we have, and can easily adjust to any situation we are involve. And truly enough when I evaluate my answer it ensued knowledge that I am a reflector and theorist. Reflector is more in processing ideas,  analyzing and synthesizing while theorist are more truth seeker, logical and discipline in thinking. I realized my behavior and way of thinking was the product of my learning style from my environment, family culture and genes and educational background.

As a learner, knowing ourselves is very essential in having a healthier position to select learning experiences that ensemble to our style.