Quality Assurance in Higher Education Conference!

A one in a life time experience. My first time ever I participate in a conference, as a guest and as an organizer. It was such a nice day at the Lebanese International University, getting to meet new people from all around the Middle East and South Africa, being enlightened with new points of view, studies and research that is being worked on for the sake of a better quality in our schools.
I very much enjoyed the experience and look forward to attending further conferences. 

“Teaching dictionary Skills”

In a research paper I was working on recently, I highlighted the issue of not using and teaching dictionary skills in our Lebanese schools, as far as I have seen, not to be judgmental. I went through the importance of learning these skills, and how they will help in learning the target language. Below is a short description of the paper I wrote. 

Teaching vocabulary skills is one of the most important skills a language learner needs to adopt. It is an aid that we can always go back to whenever we are trapped, or not able to find a certain meaning to a word. However, do we know how much our students know the importance of it? Do we know how much they know how they should use it? In our classrooms, we tend to present words directly to our students; we either present them in context, in which the students induct the meanings through context clues, or we give them the meanings directly with each new term. We rarely see the use of dictionaries; in Lebanon, there are few who start teaching dictionary skills, and not until they reach higher levels. We even started to find the dictionary in the hands of our student’s not from long ago. When putting dictionaries in the hands of our students, we should teach them how a dictionary will help them develop new skills, raise awareness of the information they can find, and expose them to the different kinds of dictionaries.

Research has highly emphasized the importance of using a dictionary as a language-learning tool, and the fact that we have to provide our students with it, and teach them how it will help them develop new skills concerning their target language intake. In addition, to raise awareness of what it provides the learner with and teach them about the different types of dictionaries and how each type aids us in our learning process.

It is also important that students know when to use a dictionary, when it is acceptable and when is it less useful. Our role as teachers is to talk to them about it and highlight the importance of trying to find meanings out through clues before going back to a dictionary, because we can’t look up every single word, as I have mentioned previously, if it is that way we would spend our whole day holding a dictionary. Therefore, it is important that we make it clear to our students to know when it is appropriate to use a dictionary.  

Nature

Nature is a warm place that makes us feel us, makes us feel human, makes us feel real. It is a remarkable place for each one to take heed. It heals the soul,and lights up the heart. Nature gives us space to escape form the cooperation around us, and live in a peaceful moment. 

This is why I love nature so. It's my best place to be, and stay if only I can.

When I am outside, everything around catches my eye. The green leafy trees, the soul, the crazy cherry blossoms, the wildflowers grown in places you can never imagine before. I hear the birds sing, different symphonies, I hear the wind Swiss, and lift the leafs to take air.

I wish I can capture all that I see in one picture, but it is impossible for a camera to do so, that's why I let my mind take the picture. But for now, I would like to share some of my favorite photos that I have took while I Glance in nature.

My Unit

In an Advanced Methods course, we were required to design a unit plan, in which we are to design 8-10 English Lessons, that cover all four skills, that are reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

Miss Rasha Halat, our instructor gave us the choice to chose the theme we like to design our unit about. 
I chose Entertainment, for a Grade 5 English classroom. My Unit as well was one of the best projects to work on. I am very proud of what I have done in it.
It contains a variety of reading materials, and different ways of doing things, like emphasizing language usage in everyday life. I think the theme is something we live daily, and linking learning to real life is starting to be the case nowadays in which we make learning more dynamic and authentic to the learner. 

The lessons give space to the leaner to think, to create to activate their prior knowledge. It is beneficial yet fun at the same time. 
It is a great opportunity for us to have the chance and design a unit that contains lessons of our own, this prepares us for our later teachings, and helps us build a repertoire of activities and games and lessons that we can always use, plus it is a base for us to always create what fits our learners needs. 

My Profile

My Portfolio's are my two significant projects. My senior projects, that cover all that I have acquired and practiced through out my undergraduate studies. Moreover, I am able to gather all of my work, from observations, to research papers and case studies that I have worked on, to other educational experiences in one place, which is my Portfolio.

My Portfolio, is my biggest project and most hard one, however the fruit was sweet at the end. After all the effort and work, I was proud to hold it in my hands and call it mine. My journey and my experiences are in here to share. 

I designed both of them, I chose to name them under educational quotes that reflect my philosophy of teaching and what each one of them included. The first one, which is the pink one with the apple on was Portfolio A. The quote on it by Robert John Meehan, it says: "We didn't go into teaching to get rich, but to enrich others." The reason I chose this quote was first that most of my work inside highlighted the importance of the role of teacher in the classroom, and how we can always be better and update our knowledge. Moreover, I felt that it described my teaching philosophy. 

My second portfolio which is the blue one with the heart shape was Portfolio B. The quote by Robert John Meehan as well was: "Your life as a teacher begins the day you realize that you are always a learner." After gaining more experience, I have discovered that we never stop learning. We learn everyday, every minute, we learn from those with great experience, and we learn from our youngest pupils as well.  The hidden message behind it is that always strive to learn, and be open. 

Is using L1 when teaching L2 okay?

Something that wonders most teachers if not all. Can we use our native or first language in our classrooms when we are teaching a second language? Can we use it when we need to?
Of course many research has been done to show whether it is okay to use it or not. 
Some research claims that we should not use any of our first language, and the student must be able to learn the language autonomously without the aid of their second language. Moreover, this teaches them to think in the second language, which makes it more authentic.On other hand other research which is recent claims, that it is actually better to add some of our L1 usage in teaching, of course the higher the level the less usage is needed, in addition students should be aware of when they can use it and how much. 
Also, research has claimed that why hinder the fact that we have a lot of knowledge in our L1 that can be helpful and essential to the learning process of the students and not use it. 

In an Educational Philosophy course, my self and my peers under the supervision of our professor did a small debate of who is with and against using L1 in teaching a second language. The purpose also, was to show the pros and cons of both points of view, supported with evidence and research. 

Even though we had a lot of evidence that showed the importance of using L1 in situations where we can make it easier for the students to grasp meanings and terms, however the other team won according to personal experiences they were able to prove that not using it was better.

Personally, I am with using it. Of course with limits, but when we need to use it, we can. It is not a crime! In some cases it might make things easier for both the teacher and the students. 

My Graduation!

My graduation day was one of the best if not only days in my life. Standing on the stadium wearing your gown is a priceless moment. You feel like your holding the world in one hand. You've reached it, you achieved your goal. All the sleepless nights, and effort is actually paid off. You're proud of your self. Everyone is there watching you, your family, your instructors and of course your peers whom you shared all the good and bad times with. 

Something I will always recall, is something the Dean of Education of the Lebanese International University, 'Dr. Anwar Kawtharani' told me as we were waiting to get up on the stadium. He saw me nervous, he said: are you nervous? I said: yes!
He said: "Don't be! Enjoy every moment of it. When you're up there be proud, and watch each and everyone out there looking at you, the successful you. This moment will never come back, nothing will replace its pleasure, enjoy every bit of it." And I did. And boy it WAS Amazing! 

I would love to share some of the beautiful memories. Pictures that always remind us of the moments we most enjoyed and return that feeling that is rare to feel every now and then. 

Teaching philosophy

“Follow your dreams, they know the way”

           

In education, each individual follows their own philosophy; each one has a certain path in which they follow. My philosophy of teaching is based on my own experience through the road of my education. As a child I have had great experience with great teachers whom left a great impact on me and my life career. That is one approach I want to follow, is to be like them. I want to be the one teacher who will never be forgotten, and I want my ways to be used generation after another. All teachers go through ups and downs, but the most important thing is to learn from our mistakes and keep going, no one is perfect. We should be able to accept these mistakes and learn from them. And as much as we achieve and acquire through our journey, it will never be enough, we should always look forward to being better. And most important is to always be passionate of our job, and follow our dreams to reach the ultimate success and be proud of where we’ve ended up.

A teacher is not just a teacher; she is a mother, a friend, a guider and a helper. Her job is not based on teaching and giving information only, her job or to make it more specific her responsibility is a combination of one as I mentioned above. A teacher should be passionate and enthusiastic for her job, this definitely will reflect on the students and their motivation to learn in a positive way.  Teaching a second language to new beginning learners is not an easy job. That is why each teacher should be able to reflect her love for her job in order to have great impact on the students.

The most important thing is to enter the class like entering another world. A world about the teacher and students only, where learning is the main goal and functioning is the ultimate objective. Where the students and the teacher are interacting, jumping through different techniques, using different approaches, and traveling to another world of exploration. Learning should be a process in which one looks forward for, and always the teacher should open the way for them to be tempted to acquire and achieve.

I want to shed the light on the physical arrangement of the classroom. Most teachers don’t consider the classroom setting a factor that affects the learning process and lack the notice of the major role it plays with the student’s emotions. It is essential to have a well-organized classroom full of life and energy, because it drives students to a healthy learning process. First of all, in my classroom, I want bright colors that make the students feel alive, I want pictures and visuals that create a learning atmosphere, and give the students a solid view of certain things, like themes of the lesson, tables, charts, the current season, and so on. It is important to show the students that the classroom is an area that reflects the outside world and their needs.  Students should have comfortable desks and chairs, so nothing would keep them from focusing while the teacher is explaining. They should be seated according to their physiological needs.

The curiosity of students is endless; they are growing individuals that want to be open to the world. The teacher should be able to tackle such, and always introduce topics that are beyond their thinking abilities and knowledge. They should get that sense of challenge and be able to challenge them-selves and succeed. There should always be the sense of competition between them, to always seek deeper and come up with wonderful ideas and productions. That is why the teacher should be a dynamic individual in whom she is active all the time and have her students active as well.

A teacher should not forget about classroom management. It’s important to set rules, and be consistent. We should be able to manage the behaviour of the students in the classroom, in any activity they do. It’s also essential that teachers interacts and communicate with students in a calm and meaningful way, focusing on positive behaviour while providing a climate where student’s needs are met. Students should be able with time to recognize their own misbehaviours and be aware of the consequences.  Moreover, the teacher should show students that they are valued individuals, and consider their positive outcomes, and show them that she cares, so they feel accepted and loved which will lead to more involvement.

In addition, classroom rules should be jotted clearly on a poster, or strips of paper, and put on a bulletin board in the classroom, where all the students can see it, and always remember the common rules that they should follow. And as well they should be aware of the consequences of breaking the rules, and as mentioned previously, the teacher should maintain consistency to keep her students under control, and to avoid any misbehaviour. 

Furthermore, one of the keys to achieving classroom management is through the discipline approaches. Have your students take part in formulating classroom rules. When they are involved in that, it is more likely that they will behave better and become more committed to do so.  As long as the teacher is consistent with her rules, and gives them fair feedback, and motivates them when they behave well, the more they will work harder to behave even better, and in this case the teacher will have her-self, a well stable atmosphere, and a healthy one, where she and the students are taking their roles in accurate manners.

A teacher should be a facilitator, in which she is always there to guide and help, at the same time, back up a bit and leave the students some space to explore and search. She should use a wide variety of techniques in her teaching. The class should be a suspicious period for all the students to look forward each day, and not a systematic one with the same routine going on and on. Learning styles should be a series of new ways each and every day. Learning and having fun at the same time is what each student needs in order to achieve.

It is important that a teacher manages her classroom in a way that serves both, her and the students. She should stick to her values and goals of teaching. Open the way in her classroom for students to work in groups and interact, have them practice real life skills, to be open to the outside world. Let them think and use their cognition in a beneficial way. Students should be able to do their own work and thinking, moreover having independent learners is every teacher’s goal.  Students should feel free to ask questions as much as possible to find all the answers they are seeking.

In order to achieve the ultimate goal of student learning, implementing strategies that create a collaborative and safe atmosphere and encourage the application of knowledge is critical. I believe that these strategies help students become ready and able to utilize their knowledge in their studies and in the outside world. I believe that this is what our students need nowadays for learning to take place.

Another important factor is emphasizing motivation in the classroom. Motivation is an essential factor. A teacher should be able to motivate her students intrinsically and extrinsically, in order to push them towards working more, and seeking for more than what they give. She should be able to out from them as much as possible. A student is a closed book, and no one is able to open this book but her.

One of the most important factors is to have clear objectives and goals for every lesson and follow the plan instructed to meet the entire goal. It is important that we follow the objectives so that we don’t lose track of time, and so that students don’t get lost, and to reach our target goal, from a certain lesson.

Implementing group work, and pair work is very beneficial in the classroom. This is one of the important factors as well. Students should be able to work collaboratively and use their skills to fulfill different duties, which will help them later on in their life as they develop and transfer to higher stages.

My duty which might be the hardest but the most important is to know my students very well, and consider the differences among them. Each student is different, and learns in a different way. Each student has a certain characteristic that I should notice, and sometimes they might have certain problems that affect their acquiring, but at the same time, once I am aware of it I can manage to find solutions and try to help her/him overcome the problem. However with those who go through severe issues, need more care and attention. I need to work with them according to their abilities, and try to have some empathy, to help them avoid failure and experience success, to motivate them and keep them on the right path in their learning process.

Self-efficacy is the major characteristic that should be there in each teacher. As a future teacher, self-efficacy and confidence should be there, in order to achieve all the practices I have mentioned before, in order to have a successful classroom, and be that teacher that would leave a print in every students mind. My role involves using my expertise to put the necessary resources in the hands of the students or more likely to be sure that my students are well equipped to find and evaluate the resources they need to answer their questions. I consider that a teacher should start with herself, and then point out to her students, because my passion and determination will reflect on them positively and my irresponsibility and uncaring to the career would defiantly reflect negatively.

Being a teacher is something that comes from inside of us. A passion for the job, the desire to teach and be the reason for the change in many individuals lives. It is a job in which one should take seriously and work hard for. But it is beautiful to feel that you are changing, you are helping, guiding, and leading. And the best part of it is being loved by them, cherished and trusted.

It’s not easy to be a teacher but it is a wonderful and fruitful career. It is she who takes the first steps towards life with each and every one of us since our beginning till the end.  I believe teaching is the most important provision because I am helping to educate a generation to function knowledgeably. That is why I will end this by recalling Robert Jon Meehan’s quote which is: “We didn’t go into teaching to get rich, but to enrich others”.

Here I come future generation; I can’t wait to meet you guys.

                        And no it’s not the end, it’s the beginning.

Webinar - "You Can't Make Me: Transforming Aggression into healthy self-esteem"

A webinar that I attended last week, very much influenced me and opened my eyes to new ways of dealing with aggressive students. It is important for teachers to be familiar with ample of ways to deal with students behaviors. Because at the end of the day, the students inner urge to learn and motivation are a result of a positive behavior from them and a teacher who is able to create a well suitable atmosphere for them to learn. 

The webinar was presented by Jill Molli, a Conscious Discipline Master Instructor. Molli, highlighted the importance of training our students to build conscious discipline skill, i.e to be aware of their behaviors and outcomes. Both students and teacher should be able to manage their anger. Moreover, she discussed the concept of mind shift, in other words, bringing our mind from one state to another according to the situation we are in as teachers. For example; to get a well respond from a student we are to shift to a better behavior our selves. 

My role as a teacher is to bring the best version of myself. It is important to be able to manage the stress I go through in order to model good behavior. To manage stress, Molli suggested the breathing technique, in which we take a few deep breaths to relax and release the tension and then think of a way to deal with a certain conflict, because when we are stressed we are not modeling the right behavior for our students to connect. It is important that we model positive behavior. 

In addition, building good relationships with the students is crucial. It is important to ask ourselves if these students have a person they can go back to, and if we can be that person, because we all need someone who is able to listen to us without judgment and help us keep up. Sometimes, having the right one to listen is the solution for many problems. 

Molli gave a variety of ways we can build good relationships with the students through, like games, peekaboo for example, or through classroom rituals that bring the student and teacher closer, or iloveyou rituals or provide proximity and hold the hands of the child when you talk to them which makes them feel important. Studies have shown that these strategies reduce opposite behavior by 50%.  Also, another way to reduce conflict is by providing students a classroom job and giving them the responsibility to handle a certain task. This, an intrinsic way to build self-esteem though fulfilling responsibility.  

Another technique is to have them act the necessary behaviors and watch them when we need to instead of repeating them the whole year, and getting our selves stressed out.  We can do that though pictures or videos, instead of punishing them. Let them practice the behavior, because teaching social skills is a huge skill, and what we tech them inside the classroom will stay with them their whole life, even outside school. 

Finally, Molli talked about using a language that will provide them with safety and comfort, and encourage them as well. Describe what they did instead of just saying thank you, say their name and use "you", it is about them!. 

I really enjoyed attending this webinar, and was informed with a lot of new ways to use in my future classroom. Glad that I was able to share this information with you. Hope you find it useful.

Thank you! 

About me and my Blog!

Welcome to my Blog. 

My blog includes everything that has to do with my experience as a student looking forward to become a teacher. 

I am going to share my wonderful experience and work with those who aspire teaching and want to become one. Also, with to those who wonder what it is like to become a teacher, and how much it is a pleasure to enter this domain and be a part of it.

In addition, I will be sharing things about my personal interests, such as books, authors, music, quotes any many more interesting topics,

I look forward to having you view my blog and get to live my experience, even in just reading some of my posts and work. 

Hope you enjoy, I look forward to reading your comments ! 

About this Course

So far this semester in the Educational Media and Technology course, I have been enlightened with plenty of new procedures that are really useful and helpful for me right now as a student, and for later on as a teacher. 

I am familiar with ways I can create electronic surveys, and quizzes, and how i am the mobilizer of my work, i.e, I take control of what I create and what I see and approve for and so on. 

Moreover, I have learned about small and handy techniques that make working easier for us through the google apps.

Looking forward to applying and learning more throughout the semester!  :)