Week 20 – luv-yeh-bayb! September 25, 2010
Posted by Liz Mead in : TESOL , add a commentCaptain’s Log: As I write this last page of the Log I must admit - I’m moved. Yes, this crusty old sea captain is quite chuffed that we made it this far. 20 weeks ago when we set sail for the Isle of Tesol to see what happened, I didn’t think I’d make it. Now I’m here - I have to say it is a relief to be off the churning seas. Strange for a sea captain to write this – but I feel quite comfy on dry land . The locals are friendly and all in all I’m quite optimistic. It’s been a rewarding journey. My crew have been splendid, brave and resourceful. Even the Harbour Master proved to be a sweetie. So it’s Captain L signing off in fine bristol fashion with a warm wish to all who sail the high seas. Track the stars, trust the winds and keep your seaman able. …..Pass the Kava luv – I thirst.
Yes – Lectures have finally finished – thank the Lord!
I have my nights back again! No more trudging over to the other side of the city. I’ll probably waste those night, even though I have a huuuuuuuge assignment to complete. Let’s see shall we.
My class mates all seem to be having lots of fun with Prac. I hope I do to.
I shall miss them:
- R’s poker face (yes that’s a compliment:)
- I’s boldness
- S’s concerns
- M’s – reliable startup contributions
- D’s continual out of the box position
- M’s delightful nature
- P’s subtle style
- Ji’s gorgeousness
- V’s clever “context” answers
- D’s hilarious stories
- N’s commitment to grammar :)
- C’s love of pink or was that coral?
- B’s last minute assignment submissions
- Q’s incisive comments
- M’s delight at being called ‘teacher”
A final thank you to the fabulous Teachers – D, S and S.
What more is there to say – “Love ya babe!!” All of you :)
Week 19 – Shall we use flares? September 17, 2010
Posted by Liz Mead in : TESOL , add a commentCaptain’s Log: A couple of rascals have taken off in the lifeboat with the last of our supplies-apparently for the purposes of trade! I understand them trading food, clothing, even inflatable rafts – but flares? These Islanders seem in need of nothing. Funny, now that we’re safely docked in harbour, I can finally let go of those emergency supplies. What would I need with flares? I haven’t used them on the entire journey of 19 weeks- I hardly think I’ll need them now. Unless ….Note to self – fireworks celebration??? On a more serious note.. I have sent reports back to the Royal Society, promising my final paper on the journey. Banks and Darwin better brace themselves.
It’s the penultimate week of the course.
Yes, the practicum is still to come. But it won’t be recorded on this blog.
Last night I looked at my exhausted crew of peers. It seemed to me, we are all completely done and dusted . Yet, there is still one major assignment to go.
Either to distract us or dazzle us, our teacher delivered her instructions by pulling, pushing, flicking and scrambling through a virtual slide show on the smart (aka white) board .
S’s interaction with the technology became almost a cabaret act. When she wasn’t zooming into a significant summary on needs analysis she was zooming out to the full screen sequence of course design. We were giddy with the process.
Not so ironically, this activity paralleled what we would have to do for the assignment.
From an overall course design of 100 hours of teaching we would need to zoom in and deliver a set of 3 micro lesson plans. The course could be on any topic or theme to suit an imaginary lower intermediate class of mixed age, gender, culture, educational background and aspirations.
Despite the fact that S’s demonstration was amusing, hearing about our last assignment seemed to take the last bit of wind out of our sails. Our lifeboat supplies of learner profile, ideas, brainstorms, prompts and data including no less than Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs just made our head spin! Abe’s pyramid is making no sense to me. I”m not sure if the end of this TESOL journey is self actualisation or just survival?
Has anyone got a flare gun?
Week 18 – They won’t get it unless ….. September 10, 2010
Posted by Liz Mead in : TESOL , add a commentCaptain’s Log: I’ve heard TESOL is a beautiful and simple place. The climate is temperate and the people are sweet, there is abundant fresh food and a rich, diverse culture. Many who make the journey there choose to stay in this Utopia. I am impatient to catch sight of it.
I missed a class on role play this week (ironically, because I wagged uni and went to the theatre instead). I saw the STC production of August -Osage County… BRILLIANT!!
The second class this week- which I did attend - was a Creativity Implementation class. In this class, we all got to showcase a communicative activity we’d seen, delivered or wanted to deliver.
My favourite one was J’s. I liked it because J puts herself in the learner space and that provides a filter of empathy and simplicity you can’t fake.
I play to the audience. But a classroom isn’t an audience. Teaching is a different kind of space. Everything has to be made explicit. So although my peers liked it, I believe it could have been much better as a learning experience.
Luckily Teacher S gives great feedback. She reminded me to keep asking will they get it? If I do that, I’ll establish the right register and reach my learners.
This sort of teaching seems almost formulaic. For fledgling teachers like myself it’s like a great GPS system preventingme from getting lost.
The directions are clear: Contextualise, elicit, drill, practice, produce and then if you need to cement the learning with some written exercise or debrief – do so at the end.
Whatever we do affects the learning experience. Our own language and instructions have to include absolutely clear and correct grammar. Unless modelled correctly we will pass on the wrong message to our learners.
So here I go for the last 2 weeks of this journey: keeping it simple, remaining vigilant about my own language, being thorough, making things explicit, and working to the formula.
Can I see land?
PS Discovered a great Vocab tester on FreeRice It is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program.
Week 17 – bad case of.. September 5, 2010
Posted by Liz Mead in : TESOL , add a commentCaptains Log: Doctor’s entry: Half the crew including the Captain have come down with severe case of black plague. It manifests in muddled thinking and gastric complications. Am reommending we pull into the nearest island so that I can get a hold of clean water and fresh foods. It means the voyage will go for longer than originally planned. But if we’re to survive this – there is no alternative.
No time to blog!
Too many assignments – including a major one that will take 3 weeks. Have decided to push out practicum. I may not be finished until Christmas!
Must dash (dot-dash – dash)
