task 1 and 2

Task 1



One of my lesson that went very well is on the first chapter : the world through our senses. I pick one of the subtopic in this chapter that is Sense of Sight and light. I stressed on the structure of an eye. It is an experiment on observing the structure and function of the human eye.

The difficulties to memorize and to understand the structure and function of different part of the eye that my student faced make me think of the alternative way to make them understand clearly. So i came out with this experiment from the book and one of the blog. They uploaded their experiment that have been carried out in their classroom in the website.

The experiment that i did with them is dissection of cow's eye. With the help of technology i manage to download the video from this website and i asked my student to carry out this experiment in class. Basically we carry out this experiment with the help of the video that i have downloaded before to make sure they know what they are doing.

What i did is, i divide my students into 6 groups and ask them to bring a cow's eye for each group. Then they will follow the video that i have downloaded as i show it on the screen by using LCD projector. I will paused and play as they did the disection to make sure they are on the correct path.

This was different than other lesson because they have an experience to see the real structure of an eyeball. Humans eyeballs have the same structure as the cows eyeball. So in order to understand the real structure in theoretically they get to feel and see by themselves. This will improved the level of understanding of my students. The reason this lesson successful is because of they get the experienced to see the structure of an eye and relate it with the functions for each part of an eye.


From here, i learned that my students needs a hands on approach with the help of ICT approach to make them understand a certain topics better. This will also make my lesson more interesting .


If i were to improved this lesson i'll make sure i break up my students into a smaller group so that they have the experienced to touch and see the experiment step by step clearly. I hope i will be able to do a virtual dissection with the help of software or through the net one day. It is because my student's faced difficulties of getting cow's eye and also some of them can't do because of religious reasons.

I have shared this experience with my colleague in school. Some of them did try with their class too.





Task 2

Teaching science in english when my students is in the last class and some of them are illeterate is very challenging to me. What i did is i'll make sure that my lesson is as simple as i could and i'll explain by using simple english to make sure they can understand all of it. With the help of technology i will show them all the diagram, videos, pictures, animation and etc so that they could see the process clearly rather that just explaining. I did tell them to stop me if they can't understand and i will explain it again and again.

Their notes are in the diagram formed. They will only asked to write some word just to drill their writing skill. Fifteen minutes before the class end, i will teach them all the simple vocabulary and their meanings that i am going to use for the next lesson to make sure they will not lost track. Sometimes i have to refresh back their ABC's because they are very weak on that too.

From this experience i learn that i should have more skills in entertaining those pupils that are very weak and illiterate. I also learn that to know your students better will make you a better teacher. I did share this experienced with my colleague in school especially language teachers and experienced teachers to get ideas and help from them. They did give a good feedback and help me a lot through out that year.

How to put diagrams in your entry?

Hi everybody,

I think it is good to share this stuff with all of you - just in case you need to put any diagram(s) in your entry as an illustration to your presentation/discussion.

STEPS:
1. Draw your diagram(s) in PowerPoint file
2. View the slide
3. Printscreen the slide view (find for PrtSc/PrintScreen on one of your keyboard buttons -> Press the button
4. Open Paint program (if you do not know how to open it - click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Paint
5. Paste the prinstscreen of your slide show in Paint
6. Save it as JPEG (File -> Save As -> name the file (File name) -> Save as type: JPEG -> Save
7. Go to your blog -> New Post (or Edit Post, if you have already posted your entry but you want to add some diagrams -> click Add image icon (third icon from right)
8. A new window (Blogger - Upload image) will appear
9. Click Browse - find the file that you saved from Paint -> click Upload Image
10. Once it's done, the picture will be appeared in your posting box - you can easily drag the picture to the place you want it to be or alternatively you can cut the picture and paste it between paragraphs.
11. If you are satisfied with it, as usual click Publish Post.

Below is the example of a 'diagram' which I created using the steps above:



NB: Apart from using Paint, you can also use another application like Photoshop etc, however I choose to use Paint in this example - considering that some of you might not have Photoshop installed in their PC/notebook.

Evelyn Soon

Task 1

In most text books or reference books, the explanation for radioactive decay is : caused by its unstable nucleus. After the nucleus emits radiation, a stable nucleus is formed. What actually causes a nucleus to be unstable is not explained in these books.

In my lesson, I served the internet to get information about why a nucleus is unstable before it emits radiation. Then, the information is presented using PowerPoint.

It is actually caused by the attractive force and repulsive force acted on the protons and neutrons in a nucleus. These 2 forces reveal a tug-of-war in the nucleus. When the term tug-of-war is used, ‘wows and ohs’ are heard which means the students understood and they found it interesting – something which they can’t get from books.

From this lesson, I realized that teachers can actually prepare something extra than what the students should learn to help them to understand more and sometimes to make the lesson more interesting. Usually teachers do not teach what is not in the syllabus, because they feel is unnecessary and is a waste of time.

To improve this lesson, I can call a few students to act as the protons and neutrons. Besides that, they experience the forces of tug-of-war and the situation will be more alive and hands-on.


Task 2

That was the second year of my teaching life. I was given a Form 4 arts stream class as their science teacher. This girl wasn’t paying attention and didn’t do her homework to pass up. I told her to stand but she refused, after a few times, she stood up with a leg on the floor and the other on her chair and shouted at me because I bother her. Of course, my lesson was not carried out. She was brought to the discipline teacher and also the counseling teacher. At last, her mum was called to the school, she actually came from a broken family. The girl was sitting on a chair and the mum stood behind her when they were talking to the PK HEM (She dared to raise her voice when she talked to her mum and the mum has to do what she says). At last, the girl was expelled from school. From this experience, I feel home education is more important than school education.

Norina

Hi! All of you. I don't have any question to ask right now.

Online discussion

Dear everyone,

Thank you for participating in this Online Continuing Professional Development project. We appreciate your participation and commitment. We assure you that this blog is private, therefore nobody from 'outside' the group will be allowed to view the entries in this site. So, please do not hesitate to share your views here.Now, please look at the questions below and answer them as best as you can.


Task 1

1. Describe one of your lessons that went very well. For this lesson, explain what you were teaching, how you were teaching and how you knew it went well. In your description of your lesson consider the following:

a. Where did your ideas for this lesson come from?

b. How was this different from other lessons?

c. What do you think made the lesson successful?

d. Did you learn anything from the experience?

e. If you want to improve this lesson how would you do it?

f. Have you shared your experience with anyone else?



Task 2

All teachers experience challenges. Could you describe one that was very challenging. Where did your ideas for this lesson come from?

a. Where did your ideas for this lesson come from?

b. How was this different from other lessons?

c. What do you think made the lesson challenging?

d. Did you learn anything from the experience?

e If you want to improve this lesson how would you do it?

f. Have you shared your experience with anyone else?


Now read the other entries posted by your online community and discuss them.You might consider what you have learnt from reading each others’ entries.


Deadline for submission of blog entry: 8 December 2008

Discussion from 9 December 2008 until 31 December 2008