Rasha’s blog

The school start celebrating on the National Day at 9:30 today. Students were very happy and they dressed different cloth related to UAE culture. They brought their little brothers and sisters. Moreover, they song different music related to UAE  in the assembly and they were acting. Also, they were buying a traditional food and the school  ask women from outside to put Henna for students. However, I didn’t have time to see and attend everything.

I talked with my SST about the suitable topic for my Action Research. From collecting questionnaires , interviews and discussing with miss Maryanne I  suggested to my SST to choose Using Blog in English. She liked the topic and agreed to run this project next semester. Now, I’m relaxed because I will start searching journals and articles from library catalog about my topic. This will help me start writing Literature Review that leads to write Need Analysis Report next.

After that, I conducted an interview with miss Natalie about using technology. She saw the importance of technology is  adding in students learning, but if the traditional way works better technology is not necessary integrated in the classroom. Moreover, she let teachers use web quests after finishing from each chapter. Actually, she writes  web quests by herself for students and sometimes she takes a ready web quests from websites to use it in the class. Finally, I found that she would be interested in running sessions about how to set up class website and blog. Moreover, she preferred using blog outside teaching time.

Subsequently, I interviewed miss Bassma who is an English teacher. I found out that she integrates technology in the classroom because it enhanced her teaching and make the lesson interesting. Moreover, she used web quest once or twice each week for her students. Also, she would like to have training about using new software because it will help her to deliver lesson perfectly.

Finally, I distributed questionnaire for students, waiting , and explaining questions for them. I found out most of them used technology a lot. Also, they have Internet/wireless access at home that will help me next semester. Moreover, they are familiar to use different types of software especially Microsoft Office. Lastly, most of them used e-mail and MSN as communication tool.

Happy National Day and Aid Mubarak for all of you…

Today I met teachers that I will interview them to arrange the suitable time for them. I interviewed miss Hessa and miss Mariam only.

I found both of them used the same technology in the classroom such as multimedia projector, laptop, speaker and Internet. Moreover, they used web quests for their students that surprised me. Furthermore, teachers used the same software for their teaching which are Microsoft Office. However, I found miss Hessa used more software like Voc. factory which create and build vocabulary activity. Also, she used other software that she installed it in her laptop, but she did not remember their name.  In addition, both of teachers used email and messenger to communicate with their students at home and they would like to use communication tools in the classroom.

On the other hand, from my interview I noticed both of teachers faced the same problems while using technology. For example, multimedia projector doesn’t work and laptop stuck in the middle of the activities.

Finally, both of teachers attend different sessions in the school and out of the school. They believed training session to use new software is defiantly important for their job.

Tomorrow, I will interview miss Bassma and my SST miss Natalie. I hope that they have time for tomorrow’s interview because they will celebrating for the National Day.

Today, I came early at 7 to check my email , see and replay my classmates posts in Vox. Unfortunately,  the Internet connection doesn’t work in all the school. I went to see Science teachers if they are free to distribute my questionnaires and to attend a class with them. However, they were very busy and stress with the exams.

After that, I attended an English lesson with miss Redah. The lesson was in English club. There was multimedia projector and 8 computers for the students to do their work in their free time. Moreover, there were lots of dictionaries and English resources for students to use such as reading and grammar practice. I noticed, a big number of stories for beginning levels in the shelves. Teacher ask students to read one story each week and write a summary about it.

1

2

Teacher gave  a lesson for grade 12 Art. Teacher connected her laptop with the multimedia to show students 2 pictures. One picture was about a boy who practice his hobbies and the second one was  about a blinding  boy setting alone.  Teacher planned to gave her students activity related to Dictogloss. She divided students to 5 groups and she read the instructions for students twice. First, she read the text and student were listing to her. Second, she read the text and students write down their notes.  Third, She gave them A3 papers and she asked them to rewrite the story by their own words. She gave them 15 minutes to recreate story with their group. After that, teacher asked them to put their papers in the board and each group have to check for other groups. Then, teacher read the story again to check if they write the important vocabulary. Next, She went to the board to check their grammar and evaluate each group. Moreover, she asked each group to evaluate others work. At the end of the lesson, teacher asked students to reflect on this story and to tell what they learn from this activity.

3

                                                An example of recreating story for one of the group.

To reflect on my observation for today, I was very delighted that miss Redah applied what she learned from the workshop that we attended last week. I think by this way she used novel activity for students that will help students to be motivation. I noticed students paid attention with the teacher because it was a new  activity for them. Moreover, I believe asking students to reflect on the end of the lesson will let them to talk and express their feeling about the activity and their work. This will help them to practice their speaking before they enter the college and communicate with others easily.

Tomorrow, I will  make an interview with 4 teachers because they were busy today in grading students tests. I hope I will finish my interview by tomorrow because they will be busy on Wednesday by celebrating for the national day.

Today, most of teachers were busy with giving exams for their students. First, I planned to attend one of the science classroom, but they had practical test with their students. Then, I planned to attend English lesson, but they were giving exam for their students whole the day.

I went to secretary office to photocopy my questionnaires for teachers. I was waiting for several minutes till I photocopied my papers. After that, I distributed the questionnaire to 10 of English teachers. I received 7 of them and I am waiting for 3.

Tomorrow, I will start to analyze and study my questions after collecting all questionnaires’ papers. Moreover, I will distributed questionnaires for Science teachers. Finally,  I plan today with two of English teachers to make an interview with them for tomorrow.

Today I planned to attend a Physics lesson with miss Bassma. She had an exam for two periods. She took my number to let me know about the lesson she will teach after two periods of exam to observe her. she forgot about me and I begun to search for other lessons to observe. However, I was delighted to attend a workshop after waiting for hours without any observation. Each Thursday one of the English teacher make a workshop to benefit others about different activities they can do with their students.

The workshop was about Professional Development Dictogloss Workshop by My SST miss Natalie. The audiences were 7 of English teachers. It was in the English classroom(LRC) where she linked her laptop with the multimedia projector and speaker.

She described a Dictogloss which is type of teaching techniques where the classroom is students centered, build their skills and work as a group to recreate text. After that, she explained the purpose of dictogloss. It encourages students to focus in meaning when listening to the text. Then, she showed us a small video for 45 sec about handicapped. She divided us to two groups of 4 teachers and she read a text once. She asked us to write down notes in the second time of her reading. She gave each group a flip chart paper to recreate the story. She asked 2 groups to proof read and edit the text before presenting. Finally, she explained how this exercise be used to evaluate students?

To reflect on my observation for today, I think it is a great thing to make a weekly workshop to develop teachers skills. I believe the workshop that I attended will help teacher a lot. First, students will recognize the key word and meaning. Also, they will practice their listening and speaking skills.  In addition, students will work cooperatively and share the information with others. Lastly, the exercise will help to extend proof reading and editing skills.

Today I attended a Chemistry lesson taught by miss Sheikha for grade 10. The lesson was in the laboratory where they have a practical lesson.

The lab was designed very well for teacher and students need. It was provided by different measurement tools for each group, chemicals equipment, lab coats for each student and different posters about safety procedures to use equipments.   

1

2

3

The lesson was about Measurements Accuracy. Teacher explained about measurement tools. She showed them the smallest number and the biggest number in some tools to help them in solving equations. Before they begin, she paid their attention about the safety procedures in using tools. After that, she asked them to wear their lab coat.  Teacher let them to work individual to make experiment.  She walked around the classroom to monitor students and gave them support. Subsequently, she solve equations related to the experiment with her students. Finally, She allowed them to work as a group to solve other equations.

To reflect on my observation for today, I think the lesson was very interesting because students can apply what they learn. This will make them motivate it to learn and it will  help them to realize using different measurement tools. Moreover, I believe, giving hints and support in solving problems help students to be confident.  

While am going to meet the Science teacher I paid attention to  history building in the school. It was very attractive with lots of historical equipments. I liked the seating arrangement and I was surprised to see the multimedia projector there.  

1

2

 

3

4

5

After that, I attended a lesson with miss Thuraya who is a  Biology teacher. The classroom was provided by multimedia projector and overhead projector. It was decorated little by some posters at the back of the classroom.

1

 

 All her lessons for today were reviewed the answers in the book and doing a practical lessons. At the last period she gave a lesson about Aerobic Respiration for grade 11 Science. First she  reviewed the last lesson with the students about Cellular Respiration. Then, she gave them some equations on the board. Subsequently, teacher used overhead projector to show Krebs Cycle diagram on the board and she explained it step by step. After that, she let them to work individually to find ATP  equation of Glycoysis in human body. Finally, she demonstrated two transparency  about different equations.

To reflect on my observation for today, I think teacher doesn’t use novel and creative materials for students. Students need materials that attract them to make them motivate it.  However, she used a lot the overhead projector in the classroom to stop students be busy with the book and  to let them think about equations.

Last week I decided to observe Science lesson for whole of this week. I was waiting for my SST to meet Science teachers. I met Geology, Chemistry, Physics and Biology teachers. They were very welcoming and I was pleased to see them. However, I cannot attend and observe any of their lessons because their students will go to the field trip. I changed my planning again to observe English classes again for today.

I observed a lesson for miss Mariam A for grade 10 and they are low level students. Teacher was planning to give this lesson using technology. However, the multimedia projector wasn’t work. She tried to find another classroom to use technology, but it wasn’t work too.

She used plan B which is using the tasks in the paper. Teacher gave them a task in which students have to pick one card from envelopes. Words are related to noun and adjectives. Each student has to find out their partner. For example, one student has noun card written in it word interest another student has adjective card which is interesting. Students have to read their words loudly for all students. After that, she turned  to another activity. She gave them small paragraphs to find noun, verb, and adjective from these paragraphs. Students have to work as group and classify words in the chart. Subsequently, she distributed a paper with different topic for each group about noun, verb and adjective. Students have to brainstorm as much as words they know. Consequently, teacher allow each group to brainstorm words about noun. I found that, students were engaging in the task while the teacher try to stop them.  Then, teacher wrote down words on the board related to the noun such as tree, window, and dog…..etc. Students have to find a suitable adjective for these words as group. Finally, teacher wrote letters on the board such as a, b, d, f, h,…. . Students have to write verbs start it with these letters.

1

2

These are some pictures from her Power Point Presentation that she created for her students but she cannot present it. Moreover, there was a game she wants to play with them and she couldn’t show them too.

To reflect on my observation, I think teacher planning is an important part in the lesson. If Plan A doesn’t work plan B is ready. I found miss Mariam planned for this situation because most of teachers faced a problem with multimedia projector many times and they have to wait for IT support to fix it. Moreover, I believe using different tasks in the classroom  make students motivation and enthusiastic during the lesson. I found teacher used different tasks and it was going in appropriate sequence.  

Tomorrow, I will start observing Science teachers and I hope to observe different lessons as much as I can.

Today was my fifth day in Al-Jurf  Secondary School. I began to rewrite my questionnaire again to fit teachers need.  However, I do not disrupted to them because they are very busy and 2 of teachers are off.  On Sunday, I will hand them my questionnaire and I hope all of them to be here.

Then, I Observed a lesson for miss Duaa and she taught grade 11 science. English classrooms were very busy today and she took her students to one of the other subject classroom. It was provided by multimedia and overhead projector only. It was designed for group works.

1

Teacher started the lesson with small game. She gave the students small card with conundrum and they have to work as group to solve it. After that, She let them to read the question loudly to whole class to think about it. I noticed students were very motivated to think and to answer the questions. After that, she gave them another task which is the IELTS reading practice. She explained the questions for students and the time that they have to expend in each question. Moreover, she explained the reading skills for the students which are skimming and scanning. She gave them 15 minutes to work.  After the time is finished she used the bell to pay attention with her. Finally, She gave them a time to reflect about the lesson.

To reflect on my observation, I think starting the lesson with engaging task was a helpful way to motivate students. At the same time, I like this task because teacher gave students a challenge task to think and share their answer with their group. Furthermore,  It was an effective to use bell  as a signal to move from one task to another. Lastly, It was an effective method to let students to talk by reflecting in the end of the lesson.  

Next week, I will observe Science or Math teachers and start to give them questionnaire and interviews them.

Today, I attended a work shop about story telling in the school library. It planned to be first in Dubai British Council, but my SST arrange it in the school. She makes attending the workshop very easy for teachers.  The guest speaker was Alec Williams. He is a storyteller, trainer, consultant, writer and speaker from UK. He tells stories from books and from his memory for all stages.  The audiences were men and women teachers, and students. They came from different Emirates UAQ, Ajman and Sharjah. The workshop  focused in practical hints and techniques of telling stories.

1

I liked his way in telling stories and telling poetries. I think it will make the teaching more effective and useful especially if teachers use different techniques such as using voices and draw the story in fun way. Some stories that he mentioned were the castle and the key, and the boat and t-shirt. Watch the video.

After that, I observed an English lesson for miss Mariam A. She graduated from SWC since 2 years. The lesson taught for grade 10 and  it was for middle  level students.

The teacher used a traditional method without any technology, unless using laptop for listening practice . The lesson was about soccer and using opinion expression. Teacher divided the class to two groups and each group has to read their part. After that, she asked them to practice their speaking by telling their partner about their part. Teacher was monitor students to check if they used English in talking. I found two students were explaining their part using Arabic.  Subsequently, teacher gave them listening exercise and she played it twice because some students were not pay attention. Then, teacher let all students to stand up to tell their opinion about the soccer. If the student answer she can set, if not she has to think. By this way she allow them to practice their speaking in front of whole class. At the end of the lesson, she collected students’ weekly journal.   

I found there are  lot of misbehavior in this lesson. Students were talking with their partner. I think teacher has to use some techniques to stop these misbehaviour like using signal as Kyriacou and Arends suggested. Moreover, I think it is a good thing to let students to practice their speaking during the lesson especially they were middle level students and they used Arabic all the time. Finally, I like the idea of writing weekly journal. Teacher let students to choose a story they like from her shelf and write about it. I believe that teacher can improve students writing by this way.