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Taylors

University School Of Education


EDP 4026 Teaching Practical (Phase III)
Lo Wei Hui 0317284

Day: Monday
Date: 9/3/2015
No. Reflection: 16
Subject: Literacy (Writing Summary)
Today I chose to teach literacy. This lesson was originally about writing summary for the
factual fairy tales. However, to ensure that students know how to write a summary. My mentor
suggested me to start with writing the original fairy tales. Therefore, I actually ended up come up
with my own way of teaching the lesson instead of following the lesson plan prepared by other
teacher. First, I got the students to write the summary. Later on, they present to the class. This
lesson was very simple yet it is a good lesson according to my mentor.
This time, I felt more confident even though I change the lesson plan in sudden, I guess it
was from the experience I built through the past two months. I was surprised that my mentor told
me this is a good lesson as the lesson was very simple. I am also happy that students shown their
enthusiastic towards learning and engage in the activity. I am also glad that students try their best
to write their summary and excited when presenting their work.
This lesson was carried out successfully. First, I found that I am now more confident and
comfortable to interact with students. I realized that it was from the experience that I built
through the pass two months. I also found that I am applying the skills that I have learnt from my
mentor in the classroom. Somehow I have the feeling that, it is just the starting for the students to
get familiar with me. Students are now more open up for me; they told me more stuffs and things
about themselves.
However, I do not have more times to spend with them. This made me realized that
actually three months of teaching practical is not enough to understand and get familiar with the
students. If I have more time to spend with the students, I might understand their background
better. I might be interacted with them more, and of course I can make my lesson cater to their
needs as if I know them more.
Besides that, I also found out that I am using the classroom technologies and teaching
aids tools at my best. I used the magnetic white board that each student had it and the traffic light
cards. I also make used of the grouping randomizer system in the computer. I found that these
actually assist and help me to make my lesson more interesting and fun. If I did not use those
technologies and teaching aids tools, not only I did not make use of resources, my lesson might
also turns a bit bored as my classroom management skills still need to work on.
Next, my mentor told me I should correct the students directly when they were doing
their presentations. This made me realized that usually I just let the students perform and no
feedback was given to them. By right, I should not do that; there should be an assessment or
verbal feedback for students, so that they can improve on their weaker part. As I learnt in the
course "Assessing Learning", direct feedback for students is more impactful and effective. If
only I realized this mistake earlier, I think the presentation activity that I set for students so far
would be more meaningful and effective.
All by all, I learnt that I have improve in terms of my confidence level in teaching and
interacting with students. I learnt that teachers should make use of the resources that available for
them to improve the quality of the lesson. I also learnt that the activity that I planned to do must
be assessable, and I should assess the students on the spot, so that I can give them feedback
directly. For my next lesson, I will make sure I continue to be confident in teaching. I will make
sure myself fully used the resources that can be found in the classroom. I will also make sure I
assess the students and give them feedback.

Taylors University School Of Education


EDP 4026 Teaching Practical (Phase III)
Lo Wei Hui 0317284

Day: Tuesday
Date: 10/3/2015
No. Reflection: 17
Subject: ART (Colour Wheel)
Today was my last week of teaching ART in the school as it was the last week of my
practicum. Some of them already knew todays topic as my mentor accidentally told them
yesterday. Todays topic was colour wheel. Students will have to use the three primary colour to
mix with each one to get secondary and tertiary colour. The lesson was good as my instruction
was delivered to the students clearly. Students also showed their excitement in the lesson as they
were trying their best to mix the colour.
I was so surprised and happy that my students still remember the cues that I set for them
on one particular lesson. I also felt so touched that my students really took me as their art
teacher. Besides that, I am glad that students like my art lesson. They were all participated well
and do their best in the lesson. I was satisfied with this lesson as all the students showed their
cooperation when I am giving instructions.
It was a very successful lesson. Through this lesson, I found that when cues were
implemented clearly and directly to the children, and through some practice students will
remember it well. I found this out from the students respond which was today I used back the
same cues and they all responded to it instantly. This made me realized that it goes same to the
content knowledge. If you implement the knowledge in a fun and interesting way, students will
remember it well. I also realized that it was also one of the reasons that teachers must make a
good introduction for the lesson. This is because it was the beginning of the lesson where
students can easily get their interest on it.
Besides that, I just realized that all the students were took me as their formal art teacher.
From their responds and feedback, I can found this out. When they were facing problems, I am
the first person that they will come to. This showed my successfulness in teaching art lesson.
However, I was also worry at the same time. This is because my mentor will be the one that take
over the art lesson for the whole year after I leave the school, yet students seem not that trust on
my mentor in this subject. I was thinking is it my fault for totally take over the art lesson? If only
I ask my mentor to teach some art lessons too, they might also be trusted on my mentor on her
art skills.
Then, I also realized that I am now more conscious and practice some classroom
management skills that Ms. Yvonne had suggested me to do in the class. I practiced to tell
students not to do anything until I finish my instructions. I asked the students to put their hands
on their head to prevent them doing things while I am talking. I found that this practice was
really good because after that I do not have to reply the instruction again as all the students
already know what to do. Later on, my mentor also praised me for asking the students to put their
hands on head because this reinforces the students to focus and follow my instructions. I analyze
it, and found that if I did not ask the students to put their hands on head, my purpose of wanting
them to listen first then only do most probably will not achieve.
In a nutshell, I learnt that I did a good job in teaching art for the past three months. I also
learnt that the cues that I created for the students were good and easy to remember. The
classroom management skills that Ms. Yvonne suggested me were really useful and effective
was also one of the things that I learnt. For my future lesson, I will continue on to maintain the
good job that I have done so far. I will also make sure next time when I want to create a cue for
students; I have to think of the effectiveness of it. Last but not least, I will continue to practice
the classroom management skills that I find it important in my lesson.

Taylors University School Of Education


EDP 4026 Teaching Practical (Phase III)
Lo Wei Hui 0317284

Day: Wednesday
Date: 11/3/2015
No. Reflection: 18
Subject: Literacy (Active and Passive voice)
Today I was challenge myself by took over the literacy lesson again. This was a grammar
lesson, about active and passive voice. First, I asked the students to recall on subject-verbagreement. After that I showed students some sentences and let them identified for the subject,
verb and object in the sentences. I drew out the pattern of active voice sentences and passive
voice sentences on the white board. I also came up with an activity that helps the students to
recognize the pattern of active voice sentences and passive voice sentences. The lesson was
successful.
I was happy and glad that I took the chance to teach literacy. I felt more confident after I
did this lesson. This was because the experience that I built through literacy subject made me
believed that I can teach literacy too. I was also satisfied with my teaching in this lesson as I had
put so much effort on it. Next, I was delighted when I saw students showed their excitement,
enjoy and engage in the activity that I specially designed for them.
This was the most successful literacy lesson I had ever done. First, I separate the content
into chunks as it was a bit too heavy for the students. I realized that by doing step by step, my
students were able to catch up. They were also understood the base of the grammar better. If I
did not separate the content into chunks, my students most probably would not get the content
and still confuse with it. According to the sequencing instructional theory, presenting knowledge
in a series of carefully interrelated steps not only help students to master content but also
develops their information-processing skills which is their ability to think.
Besides that, I also created an activity to reinforce the content knowledge. The students
were required to use their white magnetic board, and in the group of three, they will have to
rearrange themselves from active voice sentences to passive voice sentences. I found that this
activity helped the students to recognize the pattern of active and passive voice sentences.
According to my mentor, she said this was a very smart way of checking the students
understanding. In this situation, once again it dawn on me that students learn better when there is
hand-on activity. In short, active learning engages students in the learning process. I found that if
I did not create this activity, the students might not understand the content clearly.
Next, I realized that it was my first time to include practice time in my lessons. I gave
them exercises to do. Through the exercise, I can see that students were become more expert as
they kept on practicing. This was in line with one of the Cambournes Conditions of Learning
which was provide sufficient time for students to practice the knowledge that they have learnt, so
that the students were more familiar with the knowledge. I realized that students mastered the
content knowledge through the practice time that I provided for them. I guess this was the reason
that we have a quote called practice make perfect. If I did not let the students to practice what
they have learnt, some of the students might not able to master this knowledge as well.
As a conclusion, I learnt that sequencing instruction is good to use for heavy content
lessons. I also learnt that active learning in the class is an essential condition for students to
engage in the learning process. One more thing that I learnt was giving students sufficient time to
practice the knowledge that they just learnt. Not only we can reinforce students knowledge, we
can also check the students understanding. For my future class, I will make sure I know variety
of instructional methods, so that I have more choices. I will also continue to implement the
theory of active learning into my classroom. Last but not least, I will also remind myself to
provide students time to practice with the knowledge that they have learnt.

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