Karolina Poniatowska

A final reflection

Having reflected on my teaching experience and years of studies, my attitude towards

teaching and a viewpoint about an education system definitely advanced. The aspects that

exerted positive influence on my professional development include my studies, action

research, workshops, teaching practice, work experience and collaboration with my friend and

mentor teachers.

During my BA studies, I got familiar with some teaching materials and theoretical

background of teaching; however, these were just basics which did not provide me with a

deeper perspective of teaching. Despite the fact that the studies aimed at educating English

language teachers, these mainly concentrated on English language development which was

also important for my level of language proficiency. However, MA studies made me aware of

what a real teaching is. My teaching perspective definitely advanced and I understood that

constant practice and reflection will be part of my professional development as a teacher.

I learnt more about learning and teaching strategies and explored some ways of

implementing them. Significantly, I introduced the process-centred strategy into my teaching

practice as part of my action research. The research indicated that it is crucial for kids to go

through the whole process of learning step by step in order to better understand and improve

both learning skills and strategies.

Furthermore, as part of my professional improvement I also developed more effective

ways of assessment involving formative assessment. In a language school, I implemented

success criteria into students' writing and speaking activities in order to give them detailed

information. It certainly provided learners with a clear perspective of what was good and what

they need to improve; therefore, they became more aware learners who will be able to use

learning strategies on their own. In addition, I introduced self-assessment and peer-assessment

into my teaching. Taking into account teaching writing skills, I provided learners with check

lists which concerned revising and editing stages of a writing process. In the revising stage,

learners were supposed to add more details to their work or change something, while in the

editing stage mistakes concerning spelling, grammar and punctuation had to be corrected. The

process of correcting occurred to be very motivational for kids, especially a peer-assessment.

Self-assessment was not as visible as a peer one in reference to correcting mistakes in writing.

Having observed the learners, it seems to me that peer-assessment is more useful when

students get familiar with the strategy since they are usually not aware of their own mistakes

at first. However, I would say that it is vital to introduce both self- and peer-assessment into

teaching practice for the purpose of improving students writing skills and writing strategies.

On the other hand, I also introduced self-assessment in the form of exit tickets aiming at

summarising a lesson. As part of it, students were supposed to write what they learnt during a

lesson having had a specific question concerning the area of learning and their role was to

also assess how they feel after the lesson, whether they liked it, would like to improve

something or just did not like the lesson. All in all, formative forms of assessment provide

learners with more understanding and awareness of what they did well and what they need to

improve in order to attain a learning success; hence, I will certainly use them in my teaching

practice.

As far as different learners are taken into account, I really developed my knowledge

concerning individual needs of learners, especially special educational needs concerning

students with dyslexia. During BA studies and the first year of MA studies I gained some
theoretical knowledge of dyslexia as part of writing dissertations concerning this topic. I also

worked with some students with this learning difficulty in a language school. Having gained a

theoretical background concerning dyslexia symptoms, I early noticed a childs learning

difficulties and intervened; however, my intervention concerned informing a parent about the

learning difficulties the pupil deals with, motivating and assisting the student who was at risk

of dyslexia with more practice. I also changed my grading for the dyslexic child in order not

to demotivate her. My knowledge was not enough to provide the child with extra tasks or

intervention. Significantly, in the second year of the MA programme, during the course of

Special Education, I got familiar with the games, learning activities and the methods which

are helpful when working with students with special educational needs. The games included

the synonyms, antonyms, phonics, long vowel lotto, listening for absurdities and many others

that may be used with learners of different learning difficulties. So far, I have not had a

chance to implement them since I do not work with learners who have special educational

needs now. However, I believe the teaching materials the teacher showed us will be really

helpful for my learners who will have special educational needs. Since my theoretical

knowledge concerning learners with special educational needs concerned mainly dyslexic

learners, my plan is to read more about students with ADHD, the Aspergers syndrome and

Autism.

In reference to the collaboration with my mentor teacher, student teachers, colleagues

from work and my university supervisor certainly enhanced my individual learning during

two cycles of MA studies. I would say that most successful lessons depend on people working

effectively in teams and sharing experiences, skills, ideas and solutions to common problems.

In my future career, I would like to develop teamwork in schools since teaching is usually

seen as an individual activity but I believe that cooperation may provide me with better results

concerning my teaching development as referring to my experience gained during the studies.

 Last but not least, I was really fortunate to have been sent to participate in various

training workshops as part of my university courses since those improved my skills and better

prepared me to be a good and aware English teacher who understands the students individual

needs and is able to teach content rather than only the language. The most crucial aspect of

teaching that I developed as a student teacher is the importance of critical thinking

development which involves stimulating higher order thinking skills of learners. As I

indicated in my teaching philosophy, my teaching goal is to evolve critical thinking and make

my students ready for becoming independent learners. Despite the changes in my teaching

perspective, I would say that the basics that I always had in my mind, namely being a kind,

trustworthy and demanding teacher stay still the same for me. According to John Cotton

Danas quote, I believe that who dares to teach must never cease to learn.