Journal entries

Journal 1

San Miguel Arcangel School

Third grade

This class starts with an exercise of recalling prior knowledge through a board game called super actions race. It was as good as I was expected. Students worked in pairs asking and answering questions about what they like or love doing. The flow of communication was permanent for a while.

When students started misbehaving I introduced the second activity. They were enthusiastic about it. Students love hands-on-activities. In this part of the lesson, they had to create some cards. They chose a set of pictures to write about what they like or love to do. Some of them were very creative and at the end of the activity I could notice that most of them did a good job. I was constantly walking around the classroom and giving them feedback or answering their questions. The impact that feedback has over the learners’ performances is immeasurable.

For the last activity, students had to use the language in a conversation with their partners. It was about asking and answering questions, using the cards made by them.  The participation was dynamic. Learners were mostly active, engaged and interested in the activity. However, I could not manage the behavior of some students during the development of it. A few of them were reluctant to participate for fear of speaking in English. I tried to make them feel comfortable by working with them. 

Journal 2

San Miguel Arcangel School

Fifth grade

The objectives of the lesson were partially achieved.  My students behave well today. When some of them misbehave I just named them. If they were talking loudly I just reduced the tone of my voice. I could implement the activities I planned for this lesson. The game: “Action mimes” was very engaging for them. So, after watching the video, I could notice that some learners were able to recall most of the verbs introduced at the beginning of the class but some others not. In the second activity, they could reinforce the vocabulary and learners talk increased a lot as well as the negotiation of meaning. The flow of the communication was active. Most of them used the language to communicate.  They showed interest and enthusiasm.   

One of my problems was timing. I could have spent more time in the introductory activity to check learners understanding, making more examples and asking them more questions but I though time was not enough. I was permanently monitoring their learning process. I tried to check understanding most of the time. In the first activity, I provided them enough input and then I asked them to use the language by asking questions. On the other hand, the game was a good strategy because they could start practicing the verbs by recognizing them and the final activity was a good choice because the main purpose of the activity was communication. Cooperative learning was clearly seen in the lesson and it has many benefits.

If I had a chance to reteach this lesson, I would spend less time introducing the vocabulary and I would provide them more opportunities to use the language by answering questions about their own experience. I would give them time to share their answers, because learners would probably perform better if they the opportunity to first review their answers with a partner before checking answers in a whole-class situation. For the last activity, I would make Taylor’s journey shorter and more specific and I would use the same question form as in the previous activity to ask what Taylor did in her journey. I would be definitely more careful with the pronunciation of some words. Besides, I would manage time better. I would apply more cooperative learning to my teaching to make the class more interactive.

Journal 3

San Miguel Arcangel School

Fifth grade

The lesson went well. Leaners completed the first activity in which they had to construct a story by ordering a set of flashcards. However, I could notice that they just looked at the picture but did not read the sentences due to the font size. They were just ordering the pictures by common sense and that was not the purpose of the activity. The last activity was much better because they work in pairs and do cooperative learning. Once I checked understanding and they shared their answers I realized they understood the passage.

In this lesson, I tried to get students attention by using a basic riddle: if you hear me clap once… if you hear me clap twice. When my whole class was ready, and started talking to them. I was continuously walking around the classroom to monitor what learners are doing.

Timing was a problem again. I could have spent more time doing the first and the second activities. I could have stopped for a while to clarify some doubts. Also, I wasted time taking learners outside because the electricity has gone off for more than fifteen minutes so my solution was to take them to the cafeteria.

I chose interactive activities to promote cooperative learning. Games are always a good strategy to trigger learning. It is important to check understanding as many times as possible. Learners seemed to be delighted and enthusiastic with the activities. I did a good job at managing the classroom in spite of the obstacles.

If I had a change to reteach this lesson, I would do first the activity in which they have to work in groups to unscramble the sentences. Moreover, I would promote peer feedback in this activity by asking them to exchange their worksheets with the other groups. Then, I would try an activity in which they have to construct the ending of story by working in groups. I would be clearer when giving instructions. Finally, I would do the last activity as it was initially planned and I would assign homework for them to practice at home.

Journal 4

San Miguel Arcangel School

Fifth grade

This lesson flowed smoothly. The second activity was a successful choice. Learners enjoyed this activity so much because it was very interactive and appealing. It seemed that they understood how to organize the sentences correctly after sharing their answer with the rest of the group. The last activity was a challenge due to the limited time. However, learners’ performance was quite better. The result was not what I was expecting but most of them get the best out of their potential to construct a story. They did not have enough time to complete the activity but what they did was an evidence of understanding. I was continuously walking around the classroom to monitor what learners were doing. In some situations, learners get distracted when they have to work in groups. 

I couldn’t finish the final activity. I could have spent less time giving the instructions and making the groups. Besides, learners spent more time that I was expecting because the assignment was a little bit complex for them. Despite of the fact it was a group activity, some members of the groups did not help actively. I implemented a game which promotes interaction and increases motivation and learners talk. They were engaged in the activity and the participation was dynamic. The last activity let me know what learners have learnt during the three last classes.

If I had a chance to reteach this lesson, I would change the way I implement the last activity of this lesson. I would give learners a shorter sample of a story using only a limited number of verbs and I would be clear when giving them instructions to make their own. I would show them a set of flashcards with the actions as guidance and I would let them make the groups. I would monitor their work by providing them feedback.

Conceptualizing teaching acts

1. What do you usually do as a teacher? With what kind of rationale?

Since I graduated from the university I had constantly attempted to get the most out of my potential as a professional.  I defined myself as a reflective practitioner and as a transformative intellectual, based on Kumaravadivelu’s (2003) three concepts of teachers. Everyday practice of teaching has brought me challenges. As a teacher I do reflective teaching to analyze the continuous progress and the context in which I teach. I question my performance in the classroom and the goals I set as guidance to do my work. 

2. What is your mind engagement like in the professional exercise of teaching?

I want to state this ancient Chinese proverb to make mention of the art of teaching “tell me, I will forget. Show me, I may remember. Involve me, I will understand” (p. 2084). Keeping children engaged and motivated during the learning process is not an easy job; it demands innovative activities that let students be involved in significant experiences. My teaching performance must contribute to make students enjoy learning a foreign language. 

Moreover, I want to be recognized as an agent of social change and empowerment. I think that my decisions and my actions have to be transformative for education.

3. How would you characterize your professional, personal and experiential knowledge of teaching?

The act of teaching is an ongoing process in which I have experimented professional growth and personal satisfaction. Everyday practice of teaching is full of enjoyments and fulfillments but also frustrations and constraints that as a teacher I must face and go through.

4. How do you see the relationship between theory, research and practice?

Theory, research and practice are linked and each one relies on the other. Practice is what validates theory and research works as a vehicle to study the nature of learning and teaching and solve the problems evidence in the classrooms. Research is a source of knowledge that can contribute to study the current teaching and learning practices as a way to increase awareness about the social, cultural and economic issues immersed in the educational settings. Research is the path teachers have to go through to make the teaching and learning conditions more suitable for our context. I consider research a fundamental tool for my professional growth. 

5. To what extent is there a cause-effect relationship between teaching and learning?

In my view, learning can occur without a formal instruction. There is not an interdependence of both acts. People construct knowledge from what they experience. Nevertheless, what teaching provides is a reinforcement and a bunch of opportunities to learn from the existing knowledge and to build up new one.

Second reflection task: My autobiography

My experience as a foreign language teacher

Since I was a little girl I was taught the importance of learning a foreign language. A remarkable person in my life is my aunt. She was forced to study laws by my grandparents but her desire was to be an English teacher. She helped me a lot in the process of learning English and she was always willing to teach me every time I needed it. She loved English and I loved her passion and the excitement she transmitted. She really had an impact on my way of thinking. She made me love English too. I was fortunate to attend a well-regarded elementary school in which I had my first encounter with English and it was enchanting and overwhelming at the same time. My teacher was a pure knowledge transmitter and the classes were very traditional.

During the years I spent in high school, I went through some changes in my life. My parents decided to send me to a public school because my sister was born and they could not afford a private one anymore. New school, new friends, new teachers, new experiences came and I was frightened. Over the years, I became more responsible and autonomous for my own learning. By that time, my cousin who is an English teacher graduated from Universidad Surcolombiana was doing her master degree abroad. She left behind some books and novels at grandma’s house so that I could take advantage of them. My curiosity and my willingness to learn English leads me to start reading those books and novels. I still remember the first time I read an English book. It was a short story called Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I found it captivating and engaging.

Luckily, in tenth grade I met a teacher who was more aware about the necessity of communicating in English. I admired her because of her dynamism, enthusiasm and commitment in most of the English classes. She was always concerned about teaching her students how to communicate and providing them different contexts to practice communicative functions. It was the first time I had a teacher like her. I definitely loved English but it was certain that I did not want to be a teacher.

Six years passed on, and I took a decision. I wanted to be a dentist. Unfortunately, my dream did not come true. That career was offered by private institutions and my parents could not support me at that time. I was devastated by the way and it was difficult to comprehend. After overcoming that situation, I finally applied to be part of the English language Program at Universidad Surcolombiana. Some doors were closed for me but new opportunities arose. I learnt and I got the most out of those years of constant learning. I got my first job as an English teacher when I was in fifth semester. Since that traumatic but rewarding experience, I realized that I had the vocation to be a teacher.

Obtaining a degree in teacher education was just the beginning, I was just taught to begin teaching but during the years I have been immersed in significant teaching practices. I will mainly emphasize on the word experience with reference to the process I have gone through to become the teacher I am. Those practices have directly shaped my conceptions, my perceptions, my thoughts and my ideologies about the educational performance played by teachers. Each job has contributed to my professional development.

Currently, I am studying a Master Degree at Universidad Surcolombiana.  I am immersed in an ongoing process of discovering myself as a professional and reshaping my methodology based on my experiences in teaching. 

“Reflection without action is verbalism:

action without reflection is activism.”

(Freire, 1972)

First Reflection Task: My Teaching Metaphor

From my point of view, education is part of the social transformation and emancipation and teaching is an activity which implies three main elements: freedom, knowledge and empowerment. Each one of these words relies on the other to build up a strong basis for education.  The overwhelming impact that teachers have on the learners’ behavior and way of thinking suggests that teachers are in charge of empowering the society. As Freire’s (1998) philosophy, “any pedagogy is embedded in relations of power and dominance and is employed to create and sustain social inequalities”. Teaching a foreign language is not my main role of performance as a teacher but educating learners for raising awareness of the current issues of society as well as makes them think critically about them.  I always tend to be a knowledge generator instead of a knowledge transmitter.  I think that knowledge has to be co-constructed based on what we perceived from the reality. As you can see in my drawing, it is represented in the different shapes and colors that are right above the people. To conclude, each learner has the freedom, the knowledge and the power to be inclined to any profession or any belief.