0
Spilling it out!!!
Posted by Leez A
on
4:23 AM
Assalamualaikum... Salam Ramadhan...
Wow!! It's been quite a while I haven't been updating my blog. Well, really quite tied up with work, workshops and training. Very tiring but really worth it..
Just want to share with readers about what I've been doing the past few months.
Teaching in Year 7 is indeed a new experience for me as I've not been teaching Menengah 1 level for the past 9 years!! Imagine that! So for almost a decade I've been teaching the upper secondary level particularly in Additional Mathematics which is only for those 1% of students from the "Cream" of the Science classes. It was like every year that I got the "part to act" as a Additional Maths teacher in O level... and twice I got the "part to be blamed by parents" for just continuing another teacher who furthered their studies and not able to teach in Menengah 5.. Yup, that's really something learnt and not forgotten. But I did my best to push them up to get to their standards and obtain credits and passes.
So now, I'm teaching Year 7 classes which for me is something new since the SPN21 is introduced and implemented in Brunei Darussalam. Well, in the beginning I would say this is a challenge since there are lots of things to do as was mentioned by colleagues who have taught Year 7 in the previous two years. Yeah, it is something to look forward to and I do mean it in a positive way. Actually I choose to teach Year 7 this year since I know that the Men 4 or the Year 9 students are really not that up to their standard yet as was stated in their PMB result recently. Well, who's to be blamed?? Huh?? Teacher or the students themselves. Apparently, both!! Because education is a two-way process, it is not only the teacher's role to teach while the students just receive and wait to be spoon-fed. Another thing is that teachers tend to be so 'kasihan' with the students that they give too much time to give and give whilst the students do not care much for their own learning. Students need to be wise and play their role as students who seek knowledge from the teacher. Not by asking for answers!! but more to find the solutions and answers THEMSELVES... when they got it, then they should ask the teacher to CHECK their answers or solutions.. Nowadays, it is the other way round.. why?? Teachers GIVE questions to students hoping that students will answer them... teachers give a few days for students to finish without realizing that students couldn't be bothered about doing it until the early morning they are going to meet the teacher in class.. Days passed.. and the teacher came into class and asked students work that was supposed to be completed.. Students say they couldn't finish it because they don't know how to do it.. Huh??? Teacher insisted for the work to be finished, give students time to finish in class, which in fact sacrificed her "LESSON PLAN" for that day for students to complete the work.. The few days assignment became a one lesson activity in which the teacher HAD TO sacrifice the lesson for the previous assignment, and that the teacher HAD TO discuss the SOLUTION with the students, in which students will only do the work when teacher STARTS giving clues on how to SOLVE and in the end gave the ANSWERS to the students.. NOW, Think.. is this appropriate role of the students or teachers?? Are the students LEARNING anything from the assignment or activity? or just simply COPY from the teacher???
I guess you readers know the answers. As what was experienced by the teachers, it was a waste of time.. Why?? Well, lesson plans have been disrupted due to students' attitudes and couldn't be bothered. That's really true! I guess every teacher would agree with this. So there should be something to be done to improve on this matter.
How about giving students work that will make them WORK? Yes!! How? What? There are many ways that teachers can be innovative and creative in class, in order to make students more interested with the lesson. I guess the training workshop that I had attended recently is one of the solution. The School Based Assessment for Learning (SBAfL) is indeed a more appropriate measure of assessment for students' learning.
Moreover, this type of assessment allows for remediation purposes and getting students more responsible for their own learning. Teachers are to be more transparent with the students, meaning that the objectives of the lesson need to be laid out in class to the students to find out what they are going to learn for the day's lesson.
Objective of lesson - to be stated at the beginning of the lesson (there's no "hide and seek" or "wait and see" - more to preparation of the students)
Teacher can then continue with what he/she is going to teach or conduct any activity that is necessary for students' learning related to the topic. The activities may be individual, pair work or group work. It can be problem solving activity or investigation in order for students to do work (usually before generalizing any formula). Some teachers may need to introduce the formula in the objective for the students to see that they are not side-tracked. Good isn't it? Teachers need to inform students that their work will be assessed in class including their participation and their contribution towards the lesson.
Students can check their work or their peer's work and this assessment allows for self reflection and peer assessment. Well, students are more accountable for their own work and how they check their peer's work. It is their responsibility to get their markings correct and be honest in their assessment!! Now we're able to see responsibility and accountability in the students' work. So, will the students be more bound to copying their friends' work or from teacher's solution? I guess it will be minimal!
This type of assessment also allows for intervention especially for students who are considered in the lower ability group, even if the students are in the good class. Thus, remedial is essential and can be conducted. Since there will no longer any exams in year 7, except for year 8 SPE, then it would be appropriate to conduct remedial and also complete the syllabus!! Keep in mind that for my department, the Mathematics department will be preparing a different scheme of work which allows for completion of the syllabus for year 7 and 8 and also year 9 (in the process). Allowing for a minimum of three different topics in one term and re-visit of topics in all the terms, is hoped to give more room for students to learn almost all topics by term 2 or 3 in each year level. This should work as in the schools in the UK have been practicing this for quite a while. In the mean time, we're keeping our fingers crossed!!
Just recently I attended the meeting with the curriculum officers and members of the Mathematics Committee for SPN21 year 7 and year 8. I'm one of them now..hmm..more work for me.. but I do appreciate it being part of it gives me the chance to voice out opinions and suggestions for this to be brought up to the attention of everyone involved. There's still a lot to do in so little time.. another meeting next week and another one after the school holidays.. Hopefully my colleagues will pour out their frustrations and so on and come up with ideas on the number of tasks per topics. This will help them when they teach in year 7 and 8. Cooperation and teamwork everyone!!
Today is the 18th day of Ramadhan... time flies fast... soon it'll be the Hari Raya... and my Birthday is coming soon... :) :)
I'm still training the kids for the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad this year and this time I get to bring the kids to Denpasar, Indonesia in October.. Really hope that they can do their best in this competition.. Wish us luck!!
The Perdana Chronicles' Fifth Issue is on the way, still a lot of editing to do.. Well, the students have been much help to the teachers but still they need to publish their own articles in this fifth issue...still have not received any from the students this time. I guess this issue is more of the teacher's work rather than from the students. I'm calling for the Journalism Club to be more proactive and give contribution. I'm just hoping that next year the club will be comprised of students from the science classes or the A classes rather than from the lower end classes.. It is the school's newsletter, we're giving chance for the students to practice writing in English to support the literacy program in our school. Hope the readers will understand and contribute to the running of this club, since the officers in the moe will be reading the issues as a representation of the school.. :)
Will be having a sungkai outing with my niece and my friend from bandar today, so invited a few friends to our family restaurant this evening for the get-together.
Happy Fasting to all muslim readers and hope to find Lailatul Qadr in the last ten days of Ramadhan.. :)
Wow!! It's been quite a while I haven't been updating my blog. Well, really quite tied up with work, workshops and training. Very tiring but really worth it..
Just want to share with readers about what I've been doing the past few months.
Teaching in Year 7 is indeed a new experience for me as I've not been teaching Menengah 1 level for the past 9 years!! Imagine that! So for almost a decade I've been teaching the upper secondary level particularly in Additional Mathematics which is only for those 1% of students from the "Cream" of the Science classes. It was like every year that I got the "part to act" as a Additional Maths teacher in O level... and twice I got the "part to be blamed by parents" for just continuing another teacher who furthered their studies and not able to teach in Menengah 5.. Yup, that's really something learnt and not forgotten. But I did my best to push them up to get to their standards and obtain credits and passes.
So now, I'm teaching Year 7 classes which for me is something new since the SPN21 is introduced and implemented in Brunei Darussalam. Well, in the beginning I would say this is a challenge since there are lots of things to do as was mentioned by colleagues who have taught Year 7 in the previous two years. Yeah, it is something to look forward to and I do mean it in a positive way. Actually I choose to teach Year 7 this year since I know that the Men 4 or the Year 9 students are really not that up to their standard yet as was stated in their PMB result recently. Well, who's to be blamed?? Huh?? Teacher or the students themselves. Apparently, both!! Because education is a two-way process, it is not only the teacher's role to teach while the students just receive and wait to be spoon-fed. Another thing is that teachers tend to be so 'kasihan' with the students that they give too much time to give and give whilst the students do not care much for their own learning. Students need to be wise and play their role as students who seek knowledge from the teacher. Not by asking for answers!! but more to find the solutions and answers THEMSELVES... when they got it, then they should ask the teacher to CHECK their answers or solutions.. Nowadays, it is the other way round.. why?? Teachers GIVE questions to students hoping that students will answer them... teachers give a few days for students to finish without realizing that students couldn't be bothered about doing it until the early morning they are going to meet the teacher in class.. Days passed.. and the teacher came into class and asked students work that was supposed to be completed.. Students say they couldn't finish it because they don't know how to do it.. Huh??? Teacher insisted for the work to be finished, give students time to finish in class, which in fact sacrificed her "LESSON PLAN" for that day for students to complete the work.. The few days assignment became a one lesson activity in which the teacher HAD TO sacrifice the lesson for the previous assignment, and that the teacher HAD TO discuss the SOLUTION with the students, in which students will only do the work when teacher STARTS giving clues on how to SOLVE and in the end gave the ANSWERS to the students.. NOW, Think.. is this appropriate role of the students or teachers?? Are the students LEARNING anything from the assignment or activity? or just simply COPY from the teacher???
I guess you readers know the answers. As what was experienced by the teachers, it was a waste of time.. Why?? Well, lesson plans have been disrupted due to students' attitudes and couldn't be bothered. That's really true! I guess every teacher would agree with this. So there should be something to be done to improve on this matter.
How about giving students work that will make them WORK? Yes!! How? What? There are many ways that teachers can be innovative and creative in class, in order to make students more interested with the lesson. I guess the training workshop that I had attended recently is one of the solution. The School Based Assessment for Learning (SBAfL) is indeed a more appropriate measure of assessment for students' learning.
Moreover, this type of assessment allows for remediation purposes and getting students more responsible for their own learning. Teachers are to be more transparent with the students, meaning that the objectives of the lesson need to be laid out in class to the students to find out what they are going to learn for the day's lesson.
Objective of lesson - to be stated at the beginning of the lesson (there's no "hide and seek" or "wait and see" - more to preparation of the students)
Teacher can then continue with what he/she is going to teach or conduct any activity that is necessary for students' learning related to the topic. The activities may be individual, pair work or group work. It can be problem solving activity or investigation in order for students to do work (usually before generalizing any formula). Some teachers may need to introduce the formula in the objective for the students to see that they are not side-tracked. Good isn't it? Teachers need to inform students that their work will be assessed in class including their participation and their contribution towards the lesson.
Students can check their work or their peer's work and this assessment allows for self reflection and peer assessment. Well, students are more accountable for their own work and how they check their peer's work. It is their responsibility to get their markings correct and be honest in their assessment!! Now we're able to see responsibility and accountability in the students' work. So, will the students be more bound to copying their friends' work or from teacher's solution? I guess it will be minimal!
This type of assessment also allows for intervention especially for students who are considered in the lower ability group, even if the students are in the good class. Thus, remedial is essential and can be conducted. Since there will no longer any exams in year 7, except for year 8 SPE, then it would be appropriate to conduct remedial and also complete the syllabus!! Keep in mind that for my department, the Mathematics department will be preparing a different scheme of work which allows for completion of the syllabus for year 7 and 8 and also year 9 (in the process). Allowing for a minimum of three different topics in one term and re-visit of topics in all the terms, is hoped to give more room for students to learn almost all topics by term 2 or 3 in each year level. This should work as in the schools in the UK have been practicing this for quite a while. In the mean time, we're keeping our fingers crossed!!
Just recently I attended the meeting with the curriculum officers and members of the Mathematics Committee for SPN21 year 7 and year 8. I'm one of them now..hmm..more work for me.. but I do appreciate it being part of it gives me the chance to voice out opinions and suggestions for this to be brought up to the attention of everyone involved. There's still a lot to do in so little time.. another meeting next week and another one after the school holidays.. Hopefully my colleagues will pour out their frustrations and so on and come up with ideas on the number of tasks per topics. This will help them when they teach in year 7 and 8. Cooperation and teamwork everyone!!
Today is the 18th day of Ramadhan... time flies fast... soon it'll be the Hari Raya... and my Birthday is coming soon... :) :)
I'm still training the kids for the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad this year and this time I get to bring the kids to Denpasar, Indonesia in October.. Really hope that they can do their best in this competition.. Wish us luck!!
The Perdana Chronicles' Fifth Issue is on the way, still a lot of editing to do.. Well, the students have been much help to the teachers but still they need to publish their own articles in this fifth issue...still have not received any from the students this time. I guess this issue is more of the teacher's work rather than from the students. I'm calling for the Journalism Club to be more proactive and give contribution. I'm just hoping that next year the club will be comprised of students from the science classes or the A classes rather than from the lower end classes.. It is the school's newsletter, we're giving chance for the students to practice writing in English to support the literacy program in our school. Hope the readers will understand and contribute to the running of this club, since the officers in the moe will be reading the issues as a representation of the school.. :)
Will be having a sungkai outing with my niece and my friend from bandar today, so invited a few friends to our family restaurant this evening for the get-together.
Happy Fasting to all muslim readers and hope to find Lailatul Qadr in the last ten days of Ramadhan.. :)
